PM orders action to ease city traffic congestion

The government has taken a series of key decisions to ease traffic congestion in Dhaka, modernise the city’s traffic management system and bring greater discipline to the transport sector.

The decisions include introducing Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) at toll plazas on expressways and flyovers, relocating the Fulbaria bus terminal to Keraniganj, expanding the Gabtoli bus terminal and shifting the Kitchen Market from Karwan Bazar to Gabtoli.

The decisions were taken at a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon on Saturday, with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair.

In the meeting, the prime minister also directed the authorities to take necessary action against unauthorised double-decker sleeper buses operating in the capital.

The meeting discussed in detail the prevailing traffic congestion in Dhaka, pressure on major roads and flyovers, public transport management, reorganisation of bus terminals, improvement of parking facilities and modernisation of traffic management.

The meeting decided to introduce Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) systems at toll plazas on expressways and flyovers to make toll collection faster, more efficient and technology-driven.

An app will also be developed as part of the initiative. The prime minister directed the authorities concerned to complete the process within four months.

The meeting also placed special emphasis on addressing long-standing traffic congestion around the Jatrabari-Gulistan flyover.

The authorities were instructed to review an earlier report prepared by Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and make recommendations on measures to ease congestion.

BUET has been asked to review the existing report and submit a fresh report, along with recommendations, within 15 days. The initiative will be implemented in coordination with the city corporation and traffic police.

The government has decided to relocate the Fulbaria bus terminal to Keraniganj as part of efforts to reorganise Dhaka’s public transport system.

The Local Government Ministry will take steps to acquire the necessary land and construct a permanent bus terminal there.

As construction of a permanent terminal will take time, the meeting decided to establish a temporary terminal on 15 acres of land under the Jhilmil project within four months.

Officials said relocating the terminal from Fulbaria would reduce the pressure created by buses and inter-district vehicles in central Dhaka and help ease congestion.