Traffic Congestion in Dhaka City: Causes and Measures

Dhaka is the mega city of the world with more than 20 million population. The popular density in the city is highest in the world. The sewerage system, transportation, housing, traffic management etc. in the city are problematic. Thus the city dwellers are facing a lot of problems in their everyday life. Among many other problems, traffic congestion is acute one which result into waste of time and money. The reasons responsible for traffic congestion include absence of mass bus transit system, abundance of slow moving rickshaws and auto-rickshaws, lack of sufficient road space, inefficient traffic management and lack of required traffic rules and even improper implementation of traffic rules.

Traffic congestion in the Dhaka City is the result of a lot of factors. Such as:
♦ Absence of mass bus transit system: Mass bus transit system is the most efficient mode of transportation in major cities of the world. The road space occupied per passenger in bus is by far lower than than that in rickshaw and auto-rickshaw. Consequently, bus can carry a large number of passengers occupying smaller road space that ensures free flow of traffic.

♦ Abundance of Rickshaws: The city presently has been swept by 10 lac rickshaws growing at the rate of 20% each year. Rickshaws carry 48% of the total passenger trips occupying 73% of the road space. As it is slow moving vehicle plying on the same track with other motorized and non-motorized vehicles, the overall traffic flow slows down. A rickshaw carrying only one or two passengers occupies a much larger road space in comparison to a bus per passenger. As this is driven manuals, it is slow and it can not be directed quickly towards the required direction.

♦ Lack of sufficient road space: A large city should have road space at least 20% of the total city space. But in Dhaka City road space is estimated to be only 3% of the total city space. In comparison to other larger cities of the world the city size per million of population in Dhaka is much less. Such concentration of residents leads to the concentration of vehicles that contributes to the congestion.

♦ Phenomenal growth of high rises: The development of transportation and related infrastructure has failed to keep space with the increasing population. The phenomenal growths of high rises in the 90's makes the scenario more complex. A number of high rises have grown in alongside a single road link stretching almost the length of the city in the north-south direction.

♦ Problem with the traffic laws and management: The traffic laws available in our country are not enough for efficient traffic management. More particularly, the punishment for violation of traffic laws is not effective. Moreover the police forces, engaged in the traffic management of the city are not efficient and sincere in the performing their duties.

♦ Insufficient car parking place: Many high-rise buildings are built without planning. So various markets are built centering such buildings. People come to buy necessary things in such market but they are not given any place for parking. So the general public remain their vehicle have and there.

♦ Realising footpath: It is common scenario that footpath are summed to us a marketing place of hawker in some case " the common proverb reminds us its excellency" might is right' and law enforcers keep their role of gam makers of law breakers. So their strict action is needed to handled such situation. Otherwise footpath will turn into market place.

Suggested measures: For getting rid of traffic congestion problem, both the government and private sector should come forward with innovative programs and initiatives.

♦ Model shift of vehicles: Road space occupied by per passenger of buses is much less than that of other. So to optimize the use of the costly road space of such a congested city, the low capacity rickshaws and auto-rickshaws are to be replaced with high capacity buses. If the number of buses increases and the number rickshaws and auto-rickshaws decreases, the total number of vehicles in city streets will decrease significantly as each bus can carry a large number of passengers. So the traffic congestion must decrease as a result of such model shift.

♦ Increase of road space: As increase of road space involves relocation of a large number of costly installation, that is very difficult and costly. However, there are some areas in the city where road spaces can be increased concerned authority.

♦ Improving the traffic management system: Prompt initiatives should be taken for improving the traffic management system of the city. In this direction, installation of sophisticated traffic signals and traffic directing instruments can improve the the system slightly.

♦ Lane marking and lane discipline enforcement: The existing road space of Dhaka City is not large enough to be divided into discrete lanes of different kind of vehicles, especially when non motorized transport like rickshaw and pullcars continue to remain on the road in large number.

♦ Reformation of traffic laws: The existing traffic laws of the country should be reformed. Provision should be made to ensure the punishment for violation of traffic rules and regulations.

♦ Compulsion of keeping parking place:  All center city buildings i.e. plaza, hospital, resident building should follow the code of parking system. If anyone don't follow, will fined examplarily  to compel to follow this code.

After above discussion, it is clear that problem of traffic congestion in Dhaka City could not be solved  totally overnight. Rather it needs long term initiatives. However, the initiatives taken so far are praiseworthy which include construction of fly-overs at different points of the city, formation of different transport companies under which a large number of luxurious buses, taxi and CNG auto-rickshaws are plying in the city.