Dhaka flyovers an ‘irreparable damage’: Experts
Terming construction of flyovers in metropolis an ‘irreparable damage’ to the city, urban experts have needed taking pragmatic steps instead of spending huge money on such mega structures to increase the traffic situation, reports UNB.
Although flyovers have been built in the administrative centre to give its residents a sigh of rest from nagging traffic jam, they are yet to see any significant improvement in the entire traffic situation.
Contacted, professor Shamsul Hoque of Civil Engineering department at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) told UNB that the construction of flyovers in metropolis to lessen traffic congestion can be an “irreparable damage”. “Globally, flyover-centric treatment of traffic congestion is not effective in urban areas. It’s an irreparable damage.” he said.
He said big projects like flyover have been implemented in the heart of the town to help ease traffic jam without consultation with experts, and all those have now ended up being ineffective.
Replying to a query, the urban expert said the problem won't improve even after implementation of the Metro Rail project. “I’m in doubt if the traffic will be manageable here after a decade when the Metro Rail project is completed,” he said, adding that the plying of small vehicles like auto-rickshaws, human-haulers and rickshaws on main streets should be restricted.
He emphasised replacing the prevailing minibuses and microbuses with double-decker kinds immediately to help ease the traffic pressure, enhance transport capacity and ensure better use of roads. “It's been proved very effective in many cities like London, Hong Kong and Moscow,” he said.
Although flyovers have been built in the capital to provide its residents a sigh of rest from chaotic traffic, their exit points have now ended up being notorious points of traffic chaos.
City residents experience serious traffic congestions at the exit points (down ramps) of all flyovers in the capital every day. The problem turns acute especially from 9am to 10:30am and from 6pm to 8pm.
Traffic police also admitted that the landing points of flyovers will remain chaotic unless the quantity of public transports increases and Metro Rail and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects are implemented.
Visiting Gulistan-Jatrabari Flyover, Mouchak-Moghbazar Flyover, Mohakhali Flyover and Banani Flyover, this correspondent found extreme traffic jams on the exit points of every one of them.
Although traffic congestion eased at some points beneath flyovers like Mouchak and Moghbazar, it shifted to its exit points like Bangla Motor, Satrasta, Wireless Gate, Malibagh Chowdhurypara, Shantinagar and Rajarbagh.
Similarly, traffic congestion has reduced under flyovers in Mohakhali Rail crossing, Kuril Biswa Road crossing, Sayedabad and Jatrabari crossing however the exit points of Mohakhali Flyover like Jahangir Gate and Banani Chairman Bari and down ramps of Gulistan-Jatrabari Flyover like Gulistan and Janapad Road and Chankharpool points experience traffic congestion during peak hours -- both each day and the evening.
Urban expert professor Nazrul Islam said only Kuril Flyover became effective in reducing traffic congestion but, other flyovers have become ineffective in general and the ones are mostly effective for crossing railway tracks swiftly.
The traffic situation is getting worse gradually due to a rise in the population of metropolis and number of small vehicles, and for insufficient effective measures to regulate it, said professor Nazrul, also former chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC).
He said it isn't possible to reduce traffic jam without increasing the quantity of public transport and ensuring better traffic management.
The urban expert said additionally it is essential to implement all mass transit-related projects recommended in the Strategic Transport Plan (STP) for Dhaka with highest priority to increase the traffic situation. “On completion of the Metro Rail project, the traffic situation might improve to just a little extent,” he said.
The effectiveness of city’s flyovers is quite limited as the street capacity is very less when compared to number of small vehicles, he said. “It’ll take around a decade to complete all of the Metro Rail and STP projects.”
The STP stipulates to make roads and intersections more usable, bringing buses beneath the franchise system, enforcing traffic rules and restoring discipline in the transport sector, Prof Nazrul Islam added.
Additional Commissioner (Traffic) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Mofiz Uddin Ahmed said traffic congestion is established at every down ramp of flyovers during pick hours -- both each day and evening -- as a result of increased number of vehicles.
Huge vehicles move around in two lanes beneath and above a flyover simultaneously, he said. “When vehicles reach exit points, the onward roads turn into a bottleneck and thus serious traffic congestion is established,” he said, adding that the situation might improve on completion of the Metro rail and STP projects.
Another traffic officer, preferring anonymity, said the problem won't improve even on completion of the Metro Rail projects unless the number of vehicles is low in the city streets.
He also said the quantity of vehicles will further rise in the administrative centre on completion of the metro rail and STP projects. “So, the problem might remain unchanged.”
Source: en.prothomalo.com
