The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The caretaker government took a crash course to salvage the crumbling traffic in the capital by evicting illegal possessions on footpaths and roads, constructing safe bus-stops and introducing staggered school timing under a package of measures.

Before confronting the problem head-on, the action plans were explained at a high-level meeting on Traffic Congestion in Dhaka City and its Solution at the CA's office yesterday.

This was a follow-up meeting to the July 29 meeting on traffic jam initiated by the CA when he asked for identifying reasons, points of traffic jams and action of remedy. He expressed satisfaction over some good steps taken.

Chairing the meeting, Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed asked for preparing a plan of action with specific deadlines with specific persons with their positions and working accordingly. The progress has to be reported at the next follow-up meeting.

On construction of Busy Bay, it was informed by DTCB that five bus bays would be constructed in different areas of the city by September 30 in cooperation with Dhaka City Corporation and DMP. These bays are for bus stoppage without causing problem to normal movement of vehicles on the roads.

The meeting asked the Education Ministry to ensure staggered and flexible school timings area-wise to minimize traffic flow by September 30. "The education ministry will physically monitor the matter and make report on it," says the instruction. It was also asked for taking steps for introducing school buses by the school authorities-as schoolchildren face nagging transport problem in the overcrowded capital city.

Illegal possessions, kiosks and makeshifts on footpaths and highways of Progoti Sarani (Baridhara-Kuril area) to Saidabad via Rampura-Malibagh rail crossing would be cleared by September 30.

"Fine or penalty should be ensured if contractor concerned failed to complete construction works by the deadline. Road-repairing works should be done at nighttime instead of daytime," the meeting said in a strict order.

In its comprehensive directives meant for clearing the mess on the traffic front the government also asked the authorities concerned to make sure that inter-district buses operate from inter-district bus terminals, not from inside the city and not using the city roads.

Entrance time of trucks into the capital has been reset at 9pm from existing 8pm. Now entrance time is 9pm to 8am.

The CEO of DCC apprised that garbage containers in the city would be set in right places by September 30.