The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh on Tuesday said an eco-friendly and Internet of Things (IoT) based transport system will be implemented in Dhaka soon.
"Unplanned urbanisation and unabated expansion are created by us and we all are responsible for this," he said this while speaking at a discussion on “Effect of Traffic Congestion over businesses of old Dhaka and Identify the Way Forward” at Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) auditorium.
In his speech, Barrister Taposh pointed out that DSCC has been able to nearly double its revenue from around Tk 512 crore to over Tk 1031 crore without increasing any taxes just by improving governance.
The DSCC has successfully tackled the solid waste problem and is now focusing on water logging, he added.
Taposh said a new central business hub will be built at Keranigonj as this area is situated beside the Buriganga River, reports BSS.
He added that from now on bus counters will no longer be allowed to station outside the bus terminals. Taposh also urged the shop owners not to allow any hawkers to sit in front of their shops anymore and be strict against them.
DCCI President Ashraf Ahmed also spoke on the occasion. Ashraf Ahmed said due to unbearable traffic congestion the historic old Dhaka is day by day losing its charm of long heritage of being one of the largest economic and trading hubs in the country.
"Old Dhaka alone probably contributes about 20 per cent to the country’s GDP. Old Dhaka is one of the largest trading hubs in the country and crores of taka transactions take place in this part of the city," he added.
But due to unbearable traffic jams, he said, many businesses are now trying to shift to other places and if this trend continues, one day, the city will lose its long heritage as the economic heart of the country, he added.
He also said due to traffic congestion, working hours’ worth about Tk 140 crore is being lost daily.
Moreover, unplanned urbanisation and expansion create traffic congestion that result in about 2.9 per cent GDP loss, he added.
He mentioned that illegal shops on the footpath, narrow roads, lack of traffic system, and illegal uses of footpath by the shops, illegal rickshaws and vans, illegal hawkers are few of the major problems for traffic jams in the old Dhaka.
He suggested a one way traffic system to ease the situation.
He also recommended artificial intelligence (AI) based traffic signalling, administrative decentralisation, long term urban development strategy, expansion of metro-rail in old Dhaka, developing an integrated circular river route, loading and unloading after 9pm and eviction of illegal hawkers from the footpath.
DSCC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mizanur Rahman said illegal trading on footpaths is one of the major reasons behind traffic jams in old Dhaka. He said DSCC regularly conducts eviction drives against the illegal hawkers.
He also said the lost canals are being revived from the land grabber so it will help reduce water logging in the city.
To ease the traffic congestion, feasibility of so far 60 points has been done to implement AI based traffic signalling system, he added.
Executive Director (Additional Secretary) of Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) Neelima Akter said "We need to formulate an action plan or specialised strategic solution for the future. She also urged better coordination among the concerned government agencies."
