Urban planners, environmentalists prefer community trains in city

Urban planners and environmentalists at a meeting Monday urged the government to introduce quality community train service with a view to reducing miserable traffic congestion in the capital city, reports UNB. They said at present, the government has some big projects in hand, including the elevated expressway, metro rail and flyovers, to develop road communication in the city. But, these ambitious projects, including the proposed 26-kilometre elevated expressway costing Tk 110 billion, will increase traffic jam, private car use and pollution in the city. Department of Urban and Regional Planning at BUET, Paribesh Banchao Andolan (Paba) and WBB Trust jointly organisd the view exchange meeting titled 'Communication System in Dhaka City: Ongoing Initiatives and Our Expectation' at National Press Club in the city. Chaired by chairman of BUET's Urban and Regional Planning Department Prof Sarwar Jahan, the meeting was addressed, among others, by international transportation expert Dr Mahbubul Bari, Paba chairman Abu Naser Khan, member of Public Service Commission Ikram Ahmed, former IGP Dr M Enamul Haque, Dr Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) and WBB Trust director Syed Mahbubul Alam. Dr Mahbubul Bari said that although about 95 per cent of people in the city use rickshaw, rail, bus and other mass transports besides walking to their places of work, no effective steps have been taken to facilitate their journey. But, at the same time, the government is trying to implement big, ambitious projects to cut traffic jam. He said the proposed 26-kilometre elevated expressway will hinder further development of rail communication, and create pollution and dependency on fuel. "Only five per cent of people will get temporary facility from the elevated expressway." Dr Bari suggested cancellation of the elevated expressway project and impose restriction on the plying of private cars, thus ensuring safe road communication for rickshaw and pedestrian. Abu Naser Khan said the government is implementing a project costing Tk 200 billion to introduce metro rail in the city, which will facilitate only four per cent of the city dwellers. "But, the Bangladesh Railway cannot provide proper services to the millions of people for want of only Tk 140 billion," he said. Prof Dr Sarwar Jahan urged the government to take steps to halt the increasing flow of people to Dhaka city to facilitate communication in the capital. He suggested political and administrative decentralisation to increase employment opportunities, and education and healthcare facilities in other cities and towns of the country.