4 Dhaka suburbs selected for inter-dist bus terminal
All 180 buses, of more than 29 owners, running between Ghatarchar and Motijheel will be brought under one company, with the inaugural bus route franchise set to start from April 1
Four suburban areas of Dhaka have been initially selected for construction of inter-district bus terminals.
In order to bring order in the capital's public transport system, Batulia, Hemayetpur, Keraniganj and Kanchpur have been initially selected for inter-district bus terminals.
Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh informed the media after inspecting Batulia, one of the spots selected for an inter-district bus terminal and depot by the Bus Route Rationalisation Committee. Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam also accompanied him, says a press release.
Taposh said, "We have already taken this initiative to rationalise the bus route. We want to bring order into the entire public transport system of the capital under the supervision of the Dhaka Transport Coordinating Authority. We have already started work."
In this regard, the DSCC mayor said, "We shortened the proposed list from 10 areas to four during the last meeting of the rationalisation committee. We have come to Batulia for a site visit today.
Saying that the purpose of the field visit is to assess the effectiveness of the proposed venue, Taposh said, "After Batulia, we will visit the three remaining selected sites at Hemayetpur, Tegharia at Kamrangirchar and Kanchpur. After these visits are completed, the Bus Route Rationalisation Committee will next meet in January, when we will finalise our decision regarding the specific locations of the terminals. We will then send the proposal to the ministry. Our goal is to reduce the pressure on Dhaka city."
Citing examples in developed countries where inter-district buses do not enter the capital city, the DSCC mayor said, "The terminals within the capital, such as Mohakhali, Sayedabad and Gabtoli, are used by inter-district buses. City bus terminals are not effective in our capital, which is why city buses stand idly on the road, causing traffic congestion and general chaos. Our aim is to bring discipline in public transport. Our activities are ongoingd, and we hope to come up with a definite outline by next year."
Meanwhile, DNCC Mayor Md Atiqul Islam said that inter-district buses will no longer be able to enter Dhaka city after the roll-out of this bus route franchise initiative.
He said city buses will run inside the city, while inter-district buses will stop at a specific hub near the capital.
"With the implementation of the bus route franchise, buses from outside the city will not be able to enter Dhaka. There is now a competition on city roads between city buses and inter-district buses, causing our traffic system to completely collapse and creating traffic congestion. So, city buses operating within the capital must follow a certain route, and this must be ensured," the DNCC mayor said.
He said, "During our last meeting, we decided to bring under one company all 180 buses running between Ghatarchar and Motijheel, owned by more than 29 individuals.
Saying that both owners and employees were cooperating in the implementation of the initiative, he said, "We all want discipline on city roads. To achieve order, city buses will run along the city franchise routes, and we are set to start the first bus route franchise on the Ghatarchar-Motijheel route from April 1."