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New committee to coordinate transport projects in Dhaka

Staff Correspondent
23 Jan 2023 00:00:00 | Update: 23 Jan 2023 00:19:24
New committee to coordinate transport projects in Dhaka

A government sub-committee from now on will coordinate all projects related to road transport and communication in the capital to curb any hassle, ensure efficiency and minimise environmental hazards.

The committee – formed on Sunday at a Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority’s (DTCA) governing council meeting – is headed by the minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGD).

It will also have officials from the Roads and Highways Division, Dhaka South and North city corporations, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), Bangladesh Water Development Board, Ministry of Shipping, DMP commissioner, and the DTCA.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, also the council chairman, told reporters that the authorities who attended the Sunday’s meeting wanted this committee.

Quader further said, “The committee will coordinate all development work, from planning to the implementation stage, because there is currently an apparent lack of coordination everywhere as different authorities implement projects in the capital.”

In the meeting, the authorities have decided not to allow any road repairs and digging during the monsoon season.

Quader said, “We need to complete ongoing constructions before the start of the rainy season. No road digging will be allowed after April every year.

“For a development project or work, if anybody wants to dig a road, they will need to inform the respective city corporation first. The authorities will need to notify the city corporations about the projects they are going to implement.”

The government has also asked authorities concerned to better coordinate among themselves to minimise pollution in the city. The meeting agreed to take steps about using blocks instead of bricks for construction as blocks are friendlier to the environment.

The meeting also discussed building four bus terminals under the bus route rationalisation initiative.

The jurisdiction of DTCA might be widened further beyond Dhaka City Corporation area. But the matter will get final approval from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Responding to a question about why the government is now forming a sub-committee as the DTCA was formed to coordinate all transport related plans, the minister said, “Local government is a key part of the DTCA.

“We are not going beyond our jurisdiction. The sub-committee has been formed to work under better coordination.”

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