Balancing infrastructure, public transport crucial to tackle Dhaka traffic: Experts

Urban planners and transport experts have warned that it will not be possible to reduce the traffic congestion of the capital Dhaka by building large infrastructures that are friendly to sedans and SUVs without improving pedestrian walkways and public transport systems.

While addressing a webinar organised by the Institute for Planning and Development on Wednesday, they observed that the recently inaugurated Dhaka Elevated Expressway has made the existing disparity in Dhaka's transport system more visible.

The expressway has created the opportunity to travel the Airport-Farmgate route in 10 minutes which previously took one and a half hours, but this benefit is only available to people who use private vehicles, noted the experts. 

This discrepancy might exacerbate traffic congestion in the city in the future because of an increase in the number of private vehicles, they added.

"The construction of private vehicle-centric transport infrastructure is being prioritised against the need to strengthen initiatives such as bus route rationalisation, construction of footpaths, and the introduction of a multimodal approach in the capital Dhaka," said Professor Dr Akter Mahmud, adviser of the Institute for Planning and Development.

He compared trying to reduce traffic congestion to trying to put out a fire with petrol.

The experts also questioned the justification of spending so much money on the Dhaka Elevated Expressway, especially when it has been built on free railway land.

Professor Adil Mohammed Khan, executive director of the institute, said, "The construction cost per kilometre of the PPP project – constructed at a cost of Tk8,940 crore – is Tk191 crore. If we add the support project cost of around Tk5,000 crore, this expenditure stands at Tk296 crore."

Questioning the justification of spending so much on the project even after free railway land use of around Tk6,000 crore, he said the toll amount will increase due to the implementation of the project at extra cost, and the public will have to pay for it.

Highlighting the damage of spending over 14 years for the implementation of the project, he said, "Due to this project, the construction of the third and fourth railway lines from Dhaka to Tongi has been delayed. If this is done, it would be possible to run commuter trains every five minutes from Narayanganj to Joydebpur."

He also said that although the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service is supposed to be launched on the Gazipur-Keraniganj route via the Airport road, the project is now set to end in the airport area.

Even though the construction of the BRT has been stopped on the pretext of space constraints, the elevated expressway has been constructed in the same alignment. This, according to Prof Adil, is a "neglect of public transport" by the authorities.

Akter Mahmud highlighted the issue of errors in the feasibility study of various projects in the government infrastructure sector, and said the results of most of the studies are predetermined. By deciding what to do beforehand, such studies are done only to present the rationale of the decisions.

He called upon the professionals to conduct the feasibility studies without any bias.

Gaus Pearee, director of Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB Trust), expressed concerns about the development priorities in the capital city.

He highlighted that while significant investments are being allocated to construction projects involving bricks and stones, there is insufficient consideration for the number of people who will benefit from these initiatives.

Pearee pointed out that many of these major projects primarily benefit a small fraction of the population – around 6%-7% – who have their own cars, resulting in disadvantages that outweigh the advantages. He emphasised that such initiatives should prioritise the greater public good.

Dr Md Nurul Hasan, a transportation expert, raised concerns about the prolonged construction of the elevated expressway in Chattogram, stressing that delays impose various costs on society. The ongoing construction has contributed to worsening traffic congestion, mainly due to the significant reduction in road width, which has not been sufficiently addressed in the port city, he added.

Dr Afsana Haque, another transportation expert, cautioned against relying solely on infrastructure to alleviate traffic congestion in a densely populated city such as Dhaka. She emphasised that a holistic approach is needed.

She suggested that the completion of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway and Dhaka Ashulia Expressway would facilitate easier transportation of garments from Gazipur to Chattogram, potentially improving Bangladesh's position in the Logistics Performance Index.

Adil Mohammed commented on the current reality, expressing doubt about the timely completion of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway by next June. He stressed that the benefits would only be realised after completion and suggested measures to make the infrastructure more public-friendly, such as initiating bus services and providing designated pick-up and drop-off points.

Furthermore, he warned that the launch of the entire project would increase vehicle pressure towards Jatrabari, calling for proactive measures to address this issue.

He emphasised the importance of special traffic management and the establishment of automation and discipline in toll collection to handle future traffic challenges effectively.