Criticism heaped on Gazipur BRT over design flaws, delay and public inconvenience

The officials of the much-hyped Dhaka Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project on the Dhaka-Gazipur route, or BRT Line-3, faced sharp criticism from civil society and stakeholder representatives over various issues related to the construction of the project that caused public inconveniences. 

As pointed out by the representatives, the issues include flawed design of the project spanning 20.5 kilometres from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Gazipur, lack of footpath, U-turn and level crossing, and delays in the project construction.  

These were highlighted during a public hearing and stakeholders' meeting organised by the BRT project authority at the Bhawal Conference Room of Gazipur deputy commissioner on Wednesday.  

Presided over by Additional Secretary Md Moniruzzaman, managing director of Dhaka BRT Company Ltd, Gazipur DC Abul Fate Mohammad Shafiqul Islam and former mayor of Gazipur City Corporation Jahangir Alam were special guests.

In his speech, former mayor Jahangir, also the chief advisor to the incumbent city mayor, pointed out 17 specific flaws of the under-construction transitway project that he said caused public sufferings. 

"Legal action should be taken against those who have formulated such a flawed design [of the BRT project], wasting lakhs of government money, causing suffering to millions of people," he added.

He said at the beginning of the project, authorities pledged to construct ten markets on both sides of the highway for the rehabilitation of hawkers. In addition, five canals were expected to be dug on both sides as well. But nothing of this has been implemented.

He said it would be very difficult for women, children and the elderly to use the 72-foot-high staircases of the BRT stations.

Also, in some places, the BRT project has narrowed the highways towards the northern and north-western districts of the country, Jahangir added.

Hasan Ali, executive engineer of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, said due to the BRT project construction, they had to break the boundary wall of the institute. But the BRT authorities are yet to compensate them for reconstruction of the boundary.

Mostafizur Rahman Titu, president of Gazipur Press Club, said there is no footpath and U-turn on the 7-km Chandna Chowrasta-Shibbari intersection of the project, causing suffering to commuters and vehicles. 

Mohammad Asaduzzaman, Gazipur correspondent of Bangla Daily Ajker Patrika, said at many places, staircases of the BRT project have been constructed by blocking the footpaths.

Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Shafiqul Islam recommended the formation of a committee to be composed of officials from the district administration and other relevant parties to make a proposal on the issues.

Acknowledging the shortcomings, Dhaka BRT Managing Director Moniruzzaman said, "We will address the issues identified today by acquiring additional land as needed for sidewalk and road expansion in the coming days."

Project Director ASM Elias Shah said seven U-turns will be constructed in the project area to facilitate vehicular movement, while project Coordinator AKM Shamim Akter said they will solve the issues by undertaking a new project in the future.

The Dhaka-Gazipur transitway project was undertaken in 2012 to construct roads and flyovers on 20.5-kilometre areas between Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Gazipur. The estimated cost of the project stands at Tk4,268.32 crore.  

Seven flyovers under the project were formally inaugurated on 24 March.