Many of Dhaka’s traffic police boxes stand in pedestrians’ way

The growing number of traffic police boxes on footpaths and roads at different intersections of the capital has appeared as a new problem for pedestrians.

These structures add to people's woes in a densely populated city like Dhaka, where people are often forced to walk their destinations to avoid hours-long traffic gridlocks.

According to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, they currently have 107 traffic police boxes in Dhaka – 45 under the Dhaka North City Corporation and the rest 62 under the Dhaka South City Corporation. Besides, several others have recently been built under non-government initiatives, raising the total number of traffic boxes to around 150.

During spot visits, of 40 boxes at Karwanbazar, Mirpur, Agargaon, Farmgate, Motijheel, Kamalapur and other areas, 11 were found on roads, 17 on footpaths and 12 on road dividers. Of them, 12 are made of concrete and the rest are makeshift.

Local people said not only pedestrians but also vehicles face obstacles because of the boxes, which is also a cause behind the rising number of road accidents.

"We cannot walk comfortably on the footpaths due to the police boxes, among other reasons. So, we need to come down to the busy roads frequently, which is risky", school-going student Shihab told The Business Standard while passing by the Kalyanpur bus stand.

"The two police boxes on the road at Khamarbari intersection have reduced the width of the road. This makes it difficult for vehicles to turn," bus driver Ilias Hossain added.

Criticising the presence of traffic boxes on roads and footpaths, urban planners have said the boxes were made without following city development plans.

Institute for Planning and Development Executive Director Adil Muhammad Khan told The Business Standard that although there are police boxes on footpaths in developed countries, it is done in coordination with the city corporations so that no one faces problems.

"But, in our country, there is no such coordination. Police should not create obstacles in pedestrian and traffic movement, for their duty is to ensure uninterrupted movement."

In many places, police boxes cause disruption to the concentration of drivers, he added.

"Actually, no one is thinking about finding a solution to this problem. Police think they can do it [installing the boxes] wherever they want," Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of the Environmental Lawyers Association, told TBS.

She suggested demolition of such infrastructures if they are not at designated places.

Meanwhile, the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) in a drive on Saturday demolished two traffic police boxes in the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area as they were made by occupying footpaths.

Mayor Atiqul Islam said at the time that it is not expected that police will build traffic boxes on footpaths, impeding pedestrian movement.

When contacted, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner (Traffic) Md Munibur Rahman told The Business Standard that field-level policemen work under many limitations and adversities. "They use the boxes as places for rest and as washrooms."

Photo: Rajib Dhar

The traffic boxes were constructed, which was necessary, he said, while adding there is no city in the world that does not have traffic police boxes on footpaths. "Even so, we are in talks with the two city corporations [to find a solution to the issue]. Although the South City Corporation has provided us with some space, the north has not responded yet."

"The DMP has applied to us for the construction of police boxes at some places in our area and we are now reviewing them. However, we will not let them build boxes that will create problems for pedestrians," Chief Executive Officer of Dhaka North City Corporation Md Selim Reza told TBS.

"They have to find other spaces. Otherwise, the government will purchase land for the boxes to be built," he added.

"No one can build a structure on footpaths. The South City Corporation has demolished several police boxes on footpaths in the last two years and the drive continues," Public Relations Officer of Dhaka South City Corporation Md Abu Naser told TBS.

"In some places, police boxes have been set up in coordination with us," he added, saying that there is no room for installing the boxes without prior approval.

As a solution, city planner Adil Muhammad Khan suggested relocating the existing boxes to convenient places. "This can be done either by buying or renting space next to the intersections."

He added that police boxes come in square shape, which take up much of a footpath, but if they are linear, they might not create obstacles to pedestrians.