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Proposed Dhaka Bypass

Will it Take the Extra Load Off the City?

by A M M Hebrul Anam
Dhaka has attained its overall development and expansion after the emergence of Bangladesh Due he succeaatul implements tion nt the Second and Third five Year Plan the whole < ountn experienced remar kable development tn the road transport sector During this period t housands of kilometres ot roads were constructed, nu me, ous bridges were bulk and the existing roads and bridges were renovated.
The construction of bridges u the Chittagong and Sylhet '.ids have greatly Improved the communication of Dhaka with these two important cities As a result the traffic has inci eased manifold on these two highways.
At present all the inter-city itli< coming from Chittagong and Sylhet go through the Dhaka city causing severe traf problems. Moreover, high speed inter-city trucks cruls । c through the city cause many fatal accidents, resulting > additional burden on the al-ready overburdened traffic sys-the capital city. If there .'is a bypass road, going < ind the city avoiding the ;sv internal traffic, vehicles . I be diverted from the . wiled city.
Die construction of Jamuna M ;lt 1 purpose Bridge has al-
>dv begun The inter-city r.oi duty traffic between the and west will be abruptly 1 rased soon after the com-
: .in of this bridge. If all 1 • 'e vehicles are allowed to
travel through the Dhaka city, traflii will virtually come to a standstill position, causing many acctdents and severe traffic Jam.
' onsidering all these prob-lems. the then President of Bangladesh 11988) ordered to prepare a pr^ynatic plan for । he construction'of a bypass road originating from Payotl about 7.25 km from the Dhaka city on the Dhaka-Demra road. ■ rossing the Dhaka Jaydevpur-? angail road south of the Tongl Bridge near Turag river and finally ending at Kaliakair-Nabinagar road near the Ansar Camp at Shafipur leading towards DhakaArtcha road. Accordingly, the Roads and Highways Department conducted a preliminary feasibility st udy with the submission of a report on the project.
Pole of Dhaka in Inter-city Communication
Road, railway and internal water transport are the main modes of transportation in Bangladesh. Sixty per cent of goods and thirty-eight per
cent of passengers are trans ported by road
Being the capital of Bangladesh Dhaka operates as the heart of the nation It is lo caled approximately in the middle of the country As a result. a large number of long distance inter-city traffic pass through the city on way to their destinations. It is clear that all communication net works between the eastern ci
ties and the western cities in the country have to use Dhaka, for connection.
All vehicles coming from Chittagong and Sylhet enters the city from the southern corner, crossing Sitalakhya river via Dhaka-Demra road. All these vehicles use the busy roads of the city before they reach the highway again. A preliminary traffic survey, in
1988. estimated a total of 8200 vehicles of different type passing daily through the Dhaka-Demra road.
Internal Poad Network of Dhaka
The Internal road network of Dhaka city is very complicated and was developed in an unorganized way The following comments can be made on this road network:
• The streets of old Dhaka are very narrow, sinuous and
without any traffic rule.
• The busy business areas do not have sufficient roads and traffic discipline
• Although the new roads are relatively wider they lark collective planning
• Almost all intersections lack proper traffic discipline
• Few major roads have sep arate lane for rickshaws Most of the roads do not have any separate lane for rickshaws or
other sipw vehicles.
• The north south bound major roads do not Have sufficient intersections. As a result, the present intersections are overcrowded with traffic
Traffic Jam and Other Problems
Traffic Jani has become a very common problem in Dhaka. The main factors usually causing these jams are as "follows:
• The present traffic has exceeded the road capacity limit.
• Lack of proper manage -
• The use of fast lanes by rickshaws and other slow moving vehicles.
• The use of sidewalk, road intersections and even part of .the road by small venders and street merchants.
• Lack of sincerity in im plementing and/or following traffic rules.
The traffic system of Dhaka
is already overburdened with its own local transport system. The addition of inter-city traffic has made th(s already worse situation unbearable. Another main problem in Dhaka, is the sharp increase in fatal road accidents caused by fast moving inter-city trucks and buses. If they had an option. these inter-city vehicles would not have to enter the already crowded city.
Air Pollution
Air pollution from vehicular
emission is a major problem In today s work!. Dhaka is no exception from this hazardous problem The poUutants emit ted from motor vehicles are very harmful for human health Unplanned urban growth leading to increased traffic has worsened the health effect from vehicle emissions
From all these results it is obvious that trucks and buses are the main contributors oi
air pollution. Many oi them are -inter city liners If these vehi cles can be diverted from (he crowded city, the air pollution will be reduced by a great deal.
Survey ot the Proposed Bypass
The engineering survey of the proposed bypass was car ried out by the Roads and Highways Department Government of Bangladesh According to their proposal.
the bypass will go through the irrigated low land. To survive from the seasonal flooding a 3.8m-4.7m of earth work has to be done. Homestead areas are avoided as much as possible. A major bridge has to be constructed on the proposed bypass which crosses the Narai River, about 4 km away from the Dhaka-Demra road. Some other small to medium bridges shall also have to be built.
Economic Evaluation
The implementation of the
Dhaka Bypass Project will have a very positive Impact on the economy of Bangladesh Thousands of people will be employed during the con strutnon phase and many will continue their jobs for post completion maintenance Some of the main benefits of the Impacts of the bypass road are described lx-low
• Savings In vehicle operat mg cost
• Savings in vehicle time
• Reduction in accident coot
• Savings in passenger time cost
• Savings tn cargo time coat
• Overall savings in city traf ll< due to improvement in the traffic situation
• Urbanisation of land around the bypass area
• Possible reduction in 0ty population due to migration of city dwellers in the newly developed area
Conclusion
The construction of a by pass around Dhaka city is long overdue To curb the surge of traffic inside the city It is necessary to implement this project as soon as possible. Construction of this road will improve the overall environ merit of the city, improve air and noise pollution. reduce ac cidents and most important of all improve the traffic condi tion of this already crowded city
Preliminary study has al ready been completed which found the project both eco
nomii ally and technically feasible. However, detailed study is necessary before the implementation project. '
The construction of the bypass will have a strong economic impact in the area. Many people dwelling in the city will be interested to movp away from the city and settle near the bypass road, provided that they have an easy communication with the city. Businesses and commercial enterprises are also likely to follow their suit. However, the overall planning for the development in the area around the bypass road should be made in such a way that the philosophy and function of constructing the road is not hampered. To ensure this purpose care must be taken in urban planning In the area so that the bypass does not get overcrowded with local traffic causing delay in the movement of inter-city liners.
The writer is an Environmental Geologist presently' working with the GIS Consultants Limited.