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Impose strict parking laws to reduce traffic congestion

Speakers urge authorities

Staff Correspondent
Speakers at a view exchange meeting yesterday urged the authorities con cerned to impose strict parking laws to reduce traffic congestion in the city.
Urban and Rural Planning Department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology' (Buet), Save the Environment Movement and WBB Trust organised the meeting on Problems of car parking and our responsibilities at the National Press Club in the city.
Speaking as the chief guest, Buet Vice Chancellor Prof AMM Shafiullah said the government should impose strict restrictions on car parking with high charges for parking in the lots or garages.
riticising DCC s initiative of constructing a 33-storied building for parking zone in the Motijheel Commercial Area, he said it would create more traffic congestion instead of reducing the gridlock.
He also said that DCC should not allow establishing parking lots or garages in busy areas like Motijheel; rather they
should be set up outside the city.
He underscored the need for introducing three-dimensional transport system, including metro rail to reduce city 's traffic congestion.
Dr Mahabubul Bari presented a keynote paper at the meeting where he condemned the mandatory provisions for car parking in the Building Construction Rules of 1996.
He said that the rules create more traffic congestion encouraging people to afford more private cars, which is one of the less inefficient vehicles.
He added that the government should take initiatives to encourage people to choose rickshaw, public bus and bicycle to reduce traffic congestion.
He also placed some recommendations at the meeting.
He suggested formulating a parking policy In order to establish the maximum number of parking spaces allowed rather than the minimum required.
The policy should aim at removing parking facilities form the city centres and creating park and ride facilities,
introducing Zero Car Fleet Policy' for offices, commercials and business establishments and amending the building construction rules so as to remove parking requirements for buildings.
He also underscored the need for utilising the revenue collected from parking to improve neighbourhoods and public transit, restricting car use and converting former parking areas into uses that will serve more people, providing facilities for pedestrian, bicycle, rickshaw and mass public transit, and removing parking facilities from all schools and providing the students with school bus service.
Dr Rukhsana Hafiz, head of the Department of Urban and Rural Planning, Buet, chaired the meeting moderated by Chairman of the Save the Environment Movement Abu Naser Khan.
Prof Mahbub Un-Nabi, Prof Shayer Gafur, Assistant Professor Shafiq-Ur-Rahman and policy analyst Syed MahbubulAlamTuhin also spoke.