Excessive dependency on road network must be shifted to rail, waterways: Advisor

The first-ever drafted integrated comprehensive transport master plan has found Dhaka city-centric congested development of road, rail, waterways, air passenger and freight services - although 42 natural multi-modal hubs exist in the country.

A baseline assessment on the master plan also shows that the natural multimodal hubs (MMHs) have connectivity with river, rail, land-based ports, stations and terminals within five kilometres, keeping potentials of modal share from road-based transportation to rail and waterways.

But it has found that internal cargo trip, traffic loading, network use due to trip between ports, and economic hubs - all are centred around the Dhaka city, which generates 46 per cent of the GDP.

These were shared during a stakeholders' seminar on the draft plan - 'National integrated multimodal transport sector master plan of Bangladesh' - held at the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) auditorium in the capital.

Planning Advisor Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud attended the seminar as the chief guest. Advisor to Rail, Road Transport and Bridges Mohammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, and Special Assistant to Chief Advisor on Rail and Road Transport Dr Sheikh Moinuddin were the special guests.

Secretary (in-charge) of Road Transport and Highways Division Dr Mohammad Ziaul Hoque presided over the programme, attended by engineers, academicians, transport owners, students, passengers, etc.

Professor Moinul Hossain of Civil Engineering Department of Islamic University of Technology (IUT) presented the keynote paper, sharing baseline assessment and strategic roadmap on the master plan.

He said as these multimodal hubs are underutilised, lack of poor last mile connectivity initiatives - like with the economic zones, tourist spots, and land- or river-ports and major bottlenecks - must focus on those.

He identified 11 MMHs in the first category, having river-ports, railway stations, bus stations and truck terminals located within five km areas, suggesting that only 23 km extension of the road infrastructure and enhancement of 35 km rail-track could help modal shifts from road to rail and waterways.

These MMHs are Dhaka, Narayanganj, Rajshahi, Khulna, Chandpur, Narsingdi, Noapara, Cox's Bazar, Mirsharai-Rashmoni, Mongla Ghoshaikhali, and Chattogram.

The second category MMHs, including Chilmari, Chhatak, Mohanganj, Ashuganj-Bhairab, Ghurashal, Daulatdia, Shimulia, Rooppur and Kumira, could be made equally vibrant like the class-1 type - by developing 38 km rail extension and 175.38 km road enhancement - to link with the national highways.

The planning advisor said road-centric development in the country has changed the traditional transportation on waterways, blaming the political and commercial interests for the shift.

"We cannot get back our river-based natural multi-modal transportation system, but steps must be taken to cover the missing gaps."

The MMHs must also integrate a land use plan due to limited land in the country he added.

The rail and road transport advisor said excessive dependency on the road network must be shifted to rail and waterways. Due to lack of integration with rail and waterways, many developed infrastructures are underutilised, and cannot play due role in economic growth.

"There were huge fund misuses in the road sector due to lack of coordination," he noted.

The RHD led the formation of the national integrated multimodal transport sector master plan, where other government agencies, including the Bangladesh Railways, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation, Civil Aviation Authority, etc, provided support.

smunima@yahoo.com