& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Azimpur to Gabtoli

11-minute trip project ignored

M Abul Kalam Azad
It takes at least an hour to drive to Gabtoli from Azimpur. Imagine it taking only 11 minutes. Yes, it would have been possible if a Tk 775 crore project had been implemented.
But the government has shelved this highly feasible project on the ground of a fund crunch.
Strangely, the government is now considering building an expensive elevated expressway, proposed by a ruling Awami League lawmaker, on the same stretch of road.
In 2010, the government moved to ease congestion on Mirpur Road. And Buet experts, after carrying out a study in 2011, suggested building elevated U-turns and underpasses to ensure uninterrupted traffic flow on the road.
The country's premier technology university had said a drive to Gabtoli from Azimpur would take only 11 minutes instead of the 78 minutes it now takes. All relevant departments of the government and Buet even approved the project, titled Bangabandhu Corridor, in March 2012. The project was included in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Cell, and the Prime Minister's Office in March last year asked the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) to implement it. But the project has been gathering dust
won't be surprised if the government goes ahead with this expensive project as we have seen before. It'll involve crores of taka and take years to complete and be less effective in easing congestion."
According to the experts, the
Rokeya Sarani. Vehicles en route to Gabtoli from Rokeya Sarani and Agargaon were to use a loop near Shishu Mela.
Those driving from Mohammadpur, Lalmatia and Dhanmondi areas would use another
there for a year now.
"I don't find any reason behind dumping one of the best projects," regretted an engineer of DSCC, who was involved in the project. "The project is highly feasible and the investment can be pulled back in three years."
AL lawmaker Aslamul Haq's company, however, submitted a proposal for building a four-lane elevated expressway from Amin Bazar to Azimpur, with an estimated cost of Tk 4,000 crore.
"Recently, we got a letter from the LGRD ministry to appoint a consultant to conduct a feasibility study and prepare a design," said DSCC Town Planner Sirajul Islam, adding that Buet experts would prepare the necessary documents.
Aslam said he would go for a joint venture with a Chinese company to implement the project. "The Chinese firm will arrange the money," he told The Daily Star.
Contacted, a Buet expert said, "We
Bangabandhu Corridor will not only have eased traffic on the Mirpur Road but also helped vehicles crossing the road from both sides. Now vehicles are stopped at the set of lights and have to wait for minutes before making right and U-turns, causing congestion.
THE CORRIDOR
Under the plan, two elevated U-turns (loops) were to be built at the heavily congested Gabtoli Bus Terminal to help buses enter and exit from the terminal without getting in the way of other vehicles.
Another loop was planned at Mazar Road intersection for traffic heading towards Mirpur-1, 2 and 10 from the south. Traffic from Mazar Road and Mirpur-1, 2 and 10 would get an elevated U-turn at Technical intersection for a smooth flow towards Gabtoli.
One other U-loop was supposed to be constructed over the Kalyanpur canal for easy exit of vehicles coming from Shyamoli Link Road and New Market and heading for Agargaon or
loop to enter Suhrawardi Hospital or to head for Bijoy Sarani and Farmgate using an underpass at the Gono Bhaban intersection.
Vehicles on Crescent Road and Bi joy Sarani could use the underpass to go to Mohammadpur or Gabtoli-Shyamoli areas, while traffic from Manik Mia Avenue could have a loop at Dhanmondi 27-Mirpur Road intersection to go towards Dhanmondi 27 and Lalmatia areas.
Two underpasses at Nilkhet intersection would ensure a smooth exit of vehicles to and from Azimpur and Science Laboratory ends.
Similar solutions were planned for vehicles from other roads going in different directions.
Traffic system expert Prof Moazzem Hossain of Buet's Civil Engineering department, who was involved in the planning and designing of Bangabandhu Corridor, said, "The low-cost project is more cost effective. Unfortunately, it wasn't implemented."