People are in great confusion while walking on the road. The capital's woeful traffic problem is getting worse every day. Due to traffic jams in the capital alone, about 2000 crores of income is being lost from various sectors every day. In total, the financial loss due to traffic jams is about 100 crores per day. Apart from this, vehicles plying in the capital are stuck for about 7 and a half hours every day due to traffic jams. It does nothing to reduce the loss of national productivity, energy savings or intolerable suffering caused by wasted labor hours. So what is the way out of this?
None of the initiatives being taken to reduce traffic congestion in the capital are working. On the contrary, due to the lack of proper implementation of the law, traffic jams increase slightly in small initiatives to reduce traffic congestion, and traffic congestion doubles in large initiatives. The authorities have already implemented many initiatives to deal with the problem of traffic congestion. Entry of trucks and inter-city buses into the city has been stopped during the day. As the country's central railway station is within the capital city, many busy roads are closed for significant periods of time due to railway level crossings, as a result of which train timings have been changed, without considering the convenience of long-distance commuters. Rickshaws have been stopped on various roads. Footover bridges and underpasses have been constructed by canceling the existing zebra crossings on the road for pedestrian crossing. Traffic signal lights have been installed, latest CC cameras have also been installed. So why is traffic congestion not decreasing?
We do not obey the law on the road. Congestion on roads is high due to widespread parking, encroachment of footpaths, low speed, high speed traffic paralleling and excess traffic. Among them, about 200 different types of new vehicles are hitting the streets of Dhaka every day. In 2030, the population of Dhaka will be 300 million. In this context, now is the time to take initiatives to alleviate traffic congestion. In order to make the capital Dhaka livable for all, it is necessary to adopt and implement a proper far-reaching and integrated master plan. Traffic and congestion are not only reducing the mobility of the city, but also hitting the finances. If the current situation of Dhaka city remains unchanged, the city will become immobile.
It is possible to reduce the traffic congestion by 80 percent if various measures are taken in the current context as much as we have roads. Big cities in the world, even Mecca, Medina during Hajj; If you look at the traffic control system during various big events including the Olympic Games, it will be seen how easily the concerned countries are controlling the traffic jam at that time. When China has a big event like the Olympics, they come up with a new strategy by allowing even and odd numbered private cars to ply on consecutive days. One day even numbered cars were allowed to ply on the road and the next day odd numbered cars were allowed. Vehicles from outside the city are not allowed to enter the city at special moments. In that case, the government announced in the newspaper in advance, so there is no suffering, no traffic jam. Odd and even numbered cars can also be allowed to ply in our capital on consecutive days. Traffic congestion in Dhaka metropolis, parking problems, In view of environmental pollution and public suffering, the immediate actions are to formulate policies to control parking demand, stop free parking and provide fines for illegal parking, collect parking fees according to the cost of space and time everywhere, and spend the money received from parking on improving the quality of public transport. Accepting congestion charges for private car movement in busy areas of the city, limiting private car licenses, providing public transport instead of private cars in educational institutions and offices-courts, not building private car dependent infrastructure (flyovers, creation of parking spaces). Enhancing public transport, fuel-free vehicles and pedestrian facilities. Time and location based payment for parking is advisable to ensure proper utilization of space and resources and solve the parking problem of private cars. Stopping free parking and introducing fines for illegal parking, charging parking fees based on space and time everywhere, spending money from parking on improving public transport. Accepting congestion charges for private car movement in busy areas of the city, limiting private car licenses, providing public transport instead of private cars in educational institutions and offices-courts, not building private car dependent infrastructure (flyovers, creation of parking spaces). Enhancing public transport, fuel-free vehicles and pedestrian facilities. Time and location based payment for parking is advisable to ensure proper utilization of space and resources and solve the parking problem of private cars. Stopping free parking and introducing fines for illegal parking, charging parking fees based on space and time everywhere, spending money from parking on improving public transport. Accepting congestion charges for private car movement in busy areas of the city, limiting private car licenses, providing public transport instead of private cars in educational institutions and offices-courts, not building private car dependent infrastructure (flyovers, creation of parking spaces). Enhancing public transport, fuel-free vehicles and pedestrian facilities. Time and location based payment for parking is advisable to ensure proper utilization of space and resources and solve the parking problem of private cars. Spending money from parking on improving public transport. Accepting congestion charges for private car movement in busy areas of the city, limiting private car licenses, providing public transport instead of private cars in educational institutions and offices-courts, not building private car dependent infrastructure (flyovers, creation of parking spaces). Enhancing public transport, fuel-free vehicles and pedestrian facilities. Time and location based payment for parking is advisable to ensure proper utilization of space and resources and solve the parking problem of private cars. Spending money from parking on improving public transport. Accepting congestion charges for private car movement in busy areas of the city, limiting private car licenses, providing public transport instead of private cars in educational institutions and offices-courts, not building private car dependent infrastructure (flyovers, creation of parking spaces). Enhancing public transport, fuel-free vehicles and pedestrian facilities. Time and location based payment for parking is advisable to ensure proper utilization of space and resources and solve the parking problem of private cars. Enhancing fuel-free vehicles and pedestrian facilities. Time and location based payment for parking is advisable to ensure proper utilization of space and resources and solve the parking problem of private cars. Enhancing fuel-free vehicles and pedestrian facilities. Time and location based payment for parking is advisable to ensure proper utilization of space and resources and solve the parking problem of private cars.
One of the main reasons for traffic congestion in the capital Dhaka is the presence of extra private cars. About 80 percent of the vehicles on the road are private cars. Some families have 3-4 private cars. Sometimes a car driver and a passenger can be seen. Authorities do not seem to take these into account while issuing road licences. A report shows that private cars occupy 54.2 percent of the capital's total road space. The question arises what is the reason for the number of private cars?
Traffic congestion is not only disrupting the city life of the capital, but has also given Dhaka the reputation of being unlivable. Construction of several more flyovers is in progress to solve the traffic congestion problem. As part of the busy road is being used for this construction work, traffic jam is becoming inevitable on all the nearby roads. The snail's pace of construction is prolonging human suffering. Traffic congestion is creating such a deadlock that it takes 7-8 times on average to cross the road half an hour away. The excess number of private cars is blamed for the capital's traffic congestion. It is said that along with rickshaws, excess of private cars is causing traffic jams. However, according to experts, traffic mismanagement is mainly responsible for congestion. This situation has arisen because a large part of Dhaka's highway has been taken over by illegal encroachers. Political tout with this illegal occupation, It is not possible to free the roads of the capital because of the relationship between the police and the police. If it is possible to remove illegal shops from the roads and footpaths of the capital, traffic congestion will become bearable. In addition to this, strict implementation of traffic laws should be ensured. If it is possible to establish order in the movement of vehicles, it will be possible to pull the rush of traffic.
Finally, people should be prevented from narrowing the roads by occupying the streets and parking illegally. Public awareness should be created about civic responsibility. It is our hope that the government officials will take necessary steps to resolve the traffic jam in the interest of the people.
The writer is a Journalist, Columnist, Social Researcher and Chairman of Al-Rafi Hospital Ltd. He can be reaced at newsstoremir@gmail.com
