Broadly speaking, there are four essential elements in a production cycle. These are categorised as: inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes. Although maximum importance is attached to outputs and outcomes in developed countries, it is often the opposite in developing ones like Bangladesh, where development projects frequently lose their way and get mired in inputs and processes, as a result of which the desired outputs and outcomes are often elusive or cannot be achieved in the long run. This is best exemplified by the deadlock being observed in the digitalisation of Dhaka's road traffic management over the previous two decades. As a consequence, almost everything related to management and control of road traffic is still being run in the megacity through analogue ways instead of digital means.
The requirement of paying cash for bus-fare is a thing of the past in most major cities of the world because of the introduction of weekly, monthly or yearly rapid passes or cards. An initiative was taken in Dhaka as well for this purpose seven years ago by targeting mass-transports with funding from JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency). But impact of this initiative is still not visible in terms of output and outcome. Similarly, automatic traffic light control system was installed in about 100 road-crossings of the city. About Taka 2 billion were spent for their installation and maintenance. But the metropolitan traffic is still being controlled by means of manual signs of hand-waving traffic police. As a result, many signal lights have gone out of order with the passage of time, and the vehicles are often seen to move when the signal is red but stop when it is green.
Ironically, almost all relevant documents provided to customers by Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) have been digitalised during the previous decade. The drivers' licence is now a smart card. The Blue-Book or the document of vehicle ownership has also been digitised alongside number-plates of vehicles. Moreover, the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag has been introduced, and centralised software is used for receiving all kinds of taxes and fees of BRTA as well as for countrywide coordination within the organization. Notably, over Taka 30 billion is being spent for this digitalisation effort, most of which come from the owners and drivers of over 4.50 million motor vehicles across the country.
When the digital number plate along with RFID was introduced in Dhaka in 2012, it was claimed that computer servers would show all relevant information regarding the vehicles whenever they passed through 12 spots of Dhaka city. As a result, concerned officials would be able to view information related to tax payment, fitness, route-permit etc. of the vehicles. Besides, all information about the owners including names, colours of vehicles etc. was supposed to be stored in a central database. Through this, reminders could be sent via SMS regarding renewal of route-permits, driving licences etc. whenever the deadlines approached. In addition, legal action could be taken against any vehicle without stopping them on the road for violation of laws and rules; and lost vehicles could be recovered forthwith by locating those promptly. But sadly, the situation on the ground is still no different than the past, as the commitments have not been translated into digital actions. Knowledgeable observers opine that the traffic managers are still sticking to their analogue ways of controlling traffic because the practice of corruption becomes difficult when digital means are applied.
Allegations of extortion in the transport and communication sector of Bangladesh are quite rampant. As reported in a popular Bangla daily recently, about Taka 20 billion are extorted in the country from this sector in the name of transport-owners, labourers, law enforcers, local hoodlums, and politicians. Of this, about Taka 4 billion is raised in Dhaka city alone. According to insiders, the cash money collected as fares on mass transports like buses are carried manually by transport workers while shuttling between various destinations during their working hours. It therefore becomes easier for the extortionists to grab a slice of that money. Cash transactions could have been avoided if the rapid pass system was pressed into service, and extortions would also have diminished as a consequence.
A clearing house was established with assistance from the JICA in 2014 for automated collection of fares through cards. The passengers were supposed to make fare payments via smart cards or rapid passes while on board mass transports including buses and trains under this arrangement. Equipment and devices were then procured for the purpose alongside purchase of 60 thousand rapid passes, and the system was even introduced in some of the BRTC buses. But nothing of that initiative is now visible in the road transport sector, similar to the initiative for installing digital signal lights.
It may be recalled that about Taka 1.90 billion were spent over the past two decades for installation of digital signal lights on road-crossings alongside development of related infrastructure as well as capacity enhancement. Taka 130 million was expended first in 2001 under the Dhaka Urban Transport project of the World Bank for installing such a system at 68 crossings. The total amount spent was Taka 250 million after taking into account expenditure for infrastructure and training. The purchase of signalling system and the setting up of a control-room was executed by the city corporation. But the road transports could not be made to obey and follow this system even for one month. Later, at one stage, most of the signal lights went out of order.
Subsequently during 2010-11, a traffic management component was added to the CASE (clean air and sustainable environment) project of the World Bank in Dhaka city. An amount of Taka 1.12 billion was then spent for installing solar panels and time measurement systems on 70 road-crossings of the city. Besides, digital display boards were put up at 31 crossings that exhibited road usage and traffic movement procedures, relevant laws and rules, and provisions for punishment in case of violations. Arrangements were then made for traffic movement by obeying signals on an experimental basis at some of the spots during weekly holidays. But this initiative ended suddenly when Dhaka's traffic almost came to a standstill following the launching of the system on April 13, 2014.
The JICA-funded Dhaka Integrated Traffic Management project was then taken up in 2015, which is slotted to run up to June this year. Modern equipment has been installed under this project at four busy crossings by spending Taka 520 million. The crossings are Gulshan-1, Mohakhali, Paltan, and Phulbaria. Cameras have been installed under the system for gauging the number of moving vehicles. The time-durations of traffic signals were supposed to be determined from a control room based on traffic-pressures in various directions. But although the project duration has been extended five times and the costs escalated thrice, the city-dwellers are yet to get any benefit from this project in terms of output and outcome.
The disorder in the road traffic management of metropolis Dhaka is not without costs. According to a study conducted in 2018 by the Accident Research Institute (ARI) of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), a total of 5 million working hours are lost each day due to traffic jam in the city. That translates into a loss of Taka 370 billion each year. The study also revealed that the average speed of a motor vehicle in the city is now only 5 kilometres per hour, which in fact equals the walking speed of a pedestrian. Besides, 300 people on an average die each year on the roads of Dhaka city due to accidents, and a major segment of the casualties are pedestrians. Signal lights were installed at many traffic-crossings, but the required manpower was not groomed for operating those properly. Besides, many engineering defects remain at those crossings, and merely installing lights without rectifying those defects will not bring desired results or outcomes.
Movement of vehicles by obeying the traffic signal lights, payment of fares through rapid passes or cards, storage of all transport-related information at central databases for traffic control and application of laws and rules have now become the common standard or established norm in most major cities of the world. But sadly, that has not yet materialised in Bangladesh due to apparent indifference of relevant authorities as well as dearth of transparency and accountability in administration and governance.
The focus seems to be only on inputs and expenditures irrespective of wastages, but processes, outputs and outcomes tend to take a back-seat. Things are unlikely to improve before people have a voice in what happens around them and there is transparency, accountability, and democratic participation of citizens in all strata of society and governance.
Dr. Helal Uddin Ahmed is a retired Additional Secretary and former Editor of Bangladesh Quarterly. hahmed1960@gmail.com
Whither digital traffic management in Dhaka?
Helal Uddin Ahmed | Published: March 01, 2022 19:31:09
Whither digital traffic management in Dhaka?
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