Doubt raised about RSTP implementation

Over the last two decades the government has taken three different initiatives to ease the traffic congestion in Dhaka but to no avail. The first initiative was Dhaka Urban Transport Project (DUTP). The initiative was taken in 1997 but the plan was formulated in 2002. Then came the Strategic Transport Plan (STP) that was planned for a year from 2004 to 2005 and was approved by the government in 2008. The plan suggested 21 major projects in order to develop the transport system including three metro rails and three bus rapid systems. Lastly the Revised Strategic Transport Plan (RSTP) was drawn up from 2014 to 2015 and was finally approved on August 29 this year. The plan is a twenty-year-long project from 2015-2035. The RSTP includes the construction of five metro rails, six flyovers at a cost of Tk3.86cr which has been finalised with Jica in coordination with Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) formerly known as Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB). This lack of implementation for the past two decades has left the average speed of Dhaka traffic at a snail’s pace of six kilometres per hour according to a study by Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) conducted this year. Experts are however sceptical about the implementation of the RSTP properly and said most likely this project too will meet the same fate as the other two. They alleged that while implementing DUTP the government at the time did not pay heed to the plan properly but instead focused on aspects that would get them more votes. “The DUTP was an integrated plan but government had only emphasised on the construction of flyovers in the mega project ignoring the integrated aspects for voter popularity,” said Shamsul Haque professor at the Civil Department of Buet. “If the government does not implement the RSTP with supporting infrastructure to go with the flyovers for instance then the traffic congestion will not be eased at all and the people will not benefited from this,” he added. There are also concerns about DTCA’s ability to implement such a large scale project, Shamsul Haque said: “The DTCA is a weak organisation unable to supervise all of the government agencies concerned like Rajuk, city corporation or Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) to successfully implement the project.” For example, just six months ago a Rajuk project called Fakirapul to Keraniganj flyover was approved by DTCA although it is not included in the RSTP. The agency gave in to the pressure by a senior minister and approved the flyover which will directly contradict the path of construction for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), he said. Executive Director of DTCA Kaikobad Hossain denies the allegation saying: “The authority will strictly follow the 20-year master plan (2015-2035) of the RSTP and the recently approved Rajuk’s flyover is not in conflict with the construction of the BRT and does not interfere with the RSTP plan.” Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader told the Dhaka Tribune: “Dhaka is one of the worst cities in the world but the proper execution of the RSTP will ease the traffic congestion with the introduction of the metro rail and dedicated and disciplined bus services like the BRT.” The minister warned: “No government agencies will be able to take transport related decisions in Dhaka and adjacent districts without considering the RSTP, if any government body is to construct any infrastructure under the RSTP it has to be approved by DTCA from now on which will also supervise and coordinate the projects,” he added. Shamsul Haque added that the RSTP needs to be implemented properly to have any real effect on the traffic congestion in the city.