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Signals not the only answer

Say experts on Dhaka's traffic management as tailbacks worsen

Tawfique Ali
An automated signalling system cannot provide the answer to Dhaka'S traffic Woes without improving the existing width arid coverage of roads, say transport experts.
Professor Alamgir Mojibul Hoque of Buet, who acted as team leader on Dhaka's Strategic Transport Plan said, "Tangible improvements can be made if authorities establish proper systems for traffic and parking management as well as making small scale improvements to reduce bottlenecks."
Commuters in the capital endured extraordinarily long traffic jams on Sunday and yesterday as a result of the DCC's overnight decision to switch from manual to automated traffic signalling.
The frustrating driving conditions were exacerbated by Dhaka Metropolitan Police's failure to synchronise signal durations.
Dr M Rahmatullah, policy adviser of the Transport Sector Management Reform, said that constantly monitoring the duration of each signal is most vital in ensuring a successfully automated system.
In a synchronised signal system, a commuter who gets a green signal at Jahangir Gate will pass through green lights at subsequent intersections, including those at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Bijoy Sarani, Farmgate, Sonargaon Hotel, Bangla Motor, Sheraton Hotel and Shahbagh.
However, Sabera Haq, a commuter from Uttara, spent an hpur yesterday travelling one kilometre from the PMO to Karwan Bazar.
The lack of synchronisation also caused traffic to come to a complete standstill during the office rush hours on a stretch of Gulshan Avenue in the morning.
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Commuters waited for 30 minutes on Sunday night before passing through Moghbazar's intersection.
Superintending Engineer of DCC's TED Ashiqur Rahman said that a private contractor for operations and maintenance is responsible for synchronising the automated signals and acts in coordination with DCC and DMP.
The rationale behind the decision to switch from manual to automated traffic signalling has also been criticised by a traffic engineer from Dhaka City Corporation (DCC).
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the DCC traffic engineer said, “The sudden switch to an automated signalling system was intended to prove the futility of automaticoperations."
On Sunday DMP Commissioner AKM Shahidul Haque said that the low public perception of traffic police was likely to improve after the trial of an automated signallingsystem.
Traffic police are frequently blamed for the congested roads by failing to enforce lane markings and the illegal occupation of road space.
Rahman also recommends the building of new roads and links, the retrieval of existing road-width and pedestrian passage and the prevention of illegal car parking.
The DCC plans to introduce a dedicated lane system on the capital's major roads from December 1.