posted Dec. 13, 2004 Q. What is the nature and status of the Dhaka Urban Transport Project?
Under the Dhaka Urban Transport Project (DUTP), the Government of Bangladesh has been taking measures to improve urban transport infrastructure and services, and to address long-term transport planning, coordination, and institution development in Dhaka. The project has brought about significant improvements in air quality by phasing out polluting two-stroke, three wheelers. It has built some 175 km of pedestrian footways, resurfaced 20 km of complementary non-motorized traffic roads and crossings, improved 63 km of arterial corridors, and is in the process of installing traffic signals at 69 junctions and rehabilitating three major inter-district bus terminals. It is strengthening the national vehicle registration and driver licensing system. It has undertaken a review of the regulatory framework for public transport, drafted a policy for enforcing parking restrictions, and is piloting bus route-franchising approaches to improve bus services. It is also developing an urban transport policy and a long-term strategic transport plan for Dhaka which will include a broad-based consultation process.
Q. What is the World Bank’s role regarding the Dhaka Urban Transport Project?
The World Bank’s role under the DUTP, which is now coming to an end, has been to provide financing and technical assistance to help the government with the development, refinement, and implementation of appropriate strategies for managing road traffic and services in Dhaka. Q. The project supports a ban on rickshaws in certain areas. Why and how is this being done?
The National Land Transport Policy, adopted by the Government of Bangladesh earlier this year, seeks to improve traffic flow and road safety in Dhaka by providing separate routes for rickshaws and motor vehicles. A key element of the government’s strategy to separate fast and slow moving traffic is a progressive ban on the use of rickshaws on 120 km of major arterial roads in Dhaka (about 6 percent of the total city road network), together with measures to encourage rickshaw use in suburban areas and as feeder services to the bus network. The government has indicated that such measures will include: adequate consultation; provision of a complementary network of non-motorized transport routes and crossings to minimize disruption of the routes taken by rickshaws; mitigation of adverse impacts on displaced rickshaw pullers; and the provision of additional bus services and strengthened traffic enforcement on the converted corridors.
Since Dhaka is still in the early stages of implementing its strategy to separate motorized and non-motorized traffic (NMT) on the core arterial road network, an NMT strategy is currently being developed as part of the strategic transport plan to better define the future role of the rickshaw in Dhaka’s transport system.
Q. Are cars going to be favored over rickshaws?
Rickshaws in Dhaka are an integral and important element of the city’s transport. Nevertheless, a city the size of Dhaka, with its rapidly growing population, cannot rely on non-motorized transport alone. The Government of Bangladesh has therefore been working to improve the efficiency of urban transport in Dhaka in a manner which maximizes the potential benefits of both motorized and non-motorized modes. The government’s strategy for separating motorized and non-motorized traffic builds on the successful experience of operating an NMT-free "demonstration corridor" along Dhaka’s Mirpur Road for the past two years. An impact assessment indicates that the conversion of this corridor, which was supported by a majority of its transport users, has caused significant reductions in travel time. Police records indicate a reduction in the number of road accidents, which can be attributed to reduced conflicts between traffic modes and improved compliance with traffic rules. We understand that lessons emerging from this pilot are being used to improve the conversion process. |
RSS