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DOWN TO EARTH

City’s Traffic Mess

By A S M Nurunnabi
Traffic anarchy in Dhaka city appears to have reached a horrendous state. The situation 1s so desperate that widespread pessimism prevails and nobody has the slightest idea when there will be light at the end of the tunnel. Over the years, instead of noticing any improvement in this sphere, we have been observing gradual deterioration affecting its multidimensional aspects.
One particular aspect which is a perennial eyesore is the constant traffic jams at Important cross-roads. There are many factors causing thia, the principal among them being the slow moving cycle-rickshaws. At any Important traffic crossroad, you confront a jungle of vehicles where the unruly rickshaws dominate the scene. Particularly at busy hours, smooth flow of traffic is paralysed by their slow-paced movements. often creating a veritable pandemonium. At such moments you may get the sinking feeling that the felty has been gorged with more rickshaws that even the widest avenues could accommodate.
Among other factors contributing to traffic jams are the public buses. To a careful observer, the traffic jams can be eased substantially If the public buses in particular stop their practice of loading and offloading thetr passengers at their will at any spot near crossroads. There are specific bus stands with zebra crossings for pedestrians quite away from the road junctions. Yet it has been observed that the public buses in many cases do not stop at these stands, but prefer the crowded spots very near the road junctions, thereby adding to the risks of avoidable road accidents and to the Intensification of traffic Jams.
It is felt If the traffic police
are firm tn dealing with these irregularities and compel the public buses to use the stands provided for them, the problem of traffic Jams at the crossroads may be substantially
The authorities should also regulate the mushrooming growth of shopping and housing complexes having little space for car parking. Breaches of traffic rules such as reckless driving, disregard for traffic signals, spewing of black smoke, etc call for strict enforcement of the law.
Another factor causing traffic mess is the holding of meetings and rallies on the roads. 1n some areas, particular thoroughfares have become favourite venues for the meetings. It appears that such favourite spots arc those tn front of the Press Club, the road north of the Baitul Mukarram, the Shapla Square and the Bangabandhu Avenpc. Il is not that major political parties alone take possession of these spots for their public meetings. More frequently, smaller political factions and professional groups which do not have necessary organisational capacity to hold large scale public meetings, choose these places for gatherings, sit-ins and other programmes. The organisers of these meetings seem to care very little about the extreme inconvenience caused to the public on account of traffic Jams or blockages at these places. .
The use of thoroughfares as venues of public meetings is perhaps unique in our country. Sometime ago. the government set up a committee to suggest suitable sites for public meetings. It is understood that the recommendations of the committee are at present under the consideration of the govern-
ment. Only the pressure of public opinion and firmness of the concerned authorities to enforce the use of the sites to be selected by the government for such purposes can save the city from the curse of traffic jams in some measure. Here also, major political parties will have a role tn accepting the selected sites.
An tnler-mlntstcrial meeting held recently discussed at length Dhaka's traffic problems. The Important point reportedly is that the meeting presided over by the Home Minister aimed at remodelling some of the existing traffic laws to en-hanee their effectiveness and also decided to adopt some supplementary measures with the same end tn view.
Of the set of measures deckled at that meeting, the most radical relates to the ban on manufacture of rickshaws and provision for training for rickshaw pullers. This, according to some, sounds too simplistic, without making In a perspective plan due provision for gradual absorption of the manpower engaged as rickshawpullcrs. In terms of the decisions of the meeting, parking of cars at places other than the parking lots or marked places will invite heavy penalties. Buses and mini-buses will be prohibited from picking up passengers at their will In the middle of the road or anywhere other than the bus ktands. It was also decided to evict hawkers and kuteha bazars from the roads in busy areas.
But the most important point is the Implementation of the measures, and for that purpose, evolving a system that works. In the opinion of observers. to bring order in the traffic, system, the authorities concerned need to be backed by socio-political considerations and supports.