Dhaka Nagar Paribahan to operate starting 26 Dec

Aimed at streamlining the capital's public transport system, the bus route rationalisation initiative, Dhaka Nagar Paribahan, is to start operating from 26 December.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader is expected to inaugurate the piloting of the bus franchise system at 10am that day.

Dhaka Nagar Paribahan will initially start operating with 50 buses on a 21km route from Ghatarchar to Kanchpur, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Fazle Noor Taposh told reporters after the 20th meeting of the Bus Route Rationalisation Committee on Sunday. 

Dhaka North Mayor Atiqul Islam and other members of the bus route rationalisation committee were present at the meeting.

The 21km route covers Bosila, Mohammadpur, Elephant Road, Shahbagh, Paltan and Motijheel.

Mayor Taposh said the e-ticketing system will be launched from the very first day and bus drivers will have a uniform.

"A total of 100 buses have been approved to ply on the route from Ghatarchar to Motijheel via Kanchpur," Taposh said, and warned that no unauthorised buses will be allowed to run in Dhaka metropolis.

Unauthorised and unfit vehicles will be sent to the dump in Matuail of the capital, added the mayor, announcing that a joint operation will resume in this regard from Monday.

Of the 50 buses which will begin operation from 26 December, 30 are BRTC double-decker buses while 20 buses belong to Trans Silva.

A total of eight transport companies applied seeking approval to run their buses on this route, Taposh said and added that they selected four after scrutiny.

Among private transport companies, 60 buses of Jahan Enterprise and five buses of HR transport secured approval.

Dhaka North Mayor Atiqul Islam said, "Buses operating in this route, will only make stoppages on specified locations."

After the meeting, Khandaker Enayet Ullah, general secretary of Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association, said, "The mayors have asked for our cooperation and we have assured them that we will cooperate."

The bus fare on this route will be Tk2.15 per kilometre. There will be 40 passenger sheds and 16 bus bays on this route.