Only 50 rickshaws for 20,000 people

The community rickshaw services introduced by Dhaka North City Corporation in Niketan Residential Area under Gulshan has been termed  failure by the area’s residents as the initiative was unsuccessful in meeting their daily demands. Niketan, one of the posh residential areas of Dhaka, was sanctioned only 50 rickshaws which is vastly insufficient as about one-third of approximately 20,000 local people do not get a rickshaw when needed, said Pabon Kumar, senior office executive of Niketan Welfare Society. “Every day, a large number of local residents request us to contact the city corporation authorities and urge them to increase the number of rickshaws in the area and we did,” he said. Pabon said the leaders of the welfare society have already notified the matter to the city corporation’s ward councillors. “We will also inform other authorities concerned at the corporation.” To further assess the extent of the problem, this correspondent visited the Niketan Residential Area yesterday morning and witnessed the woes of the people there. The correspondent observed that a woman was waiting for a rickshaw to arrive at Road 5 for about 15 minutes but none came. Asked about the situation, the woman, Nishat Sharmin, a resident of the area, expressed her discontent and said that she faces this problem on a daily basis. She said the problem mainly occurs at peak hours in the morning when office bound people, students and their guardians come out of their homes in a short span of time. The same occurs in the evening, when returning home because of the limited number of rickshaws, she added. “Here now, I am waiting for a rickshaw to go and pick up my son from school but only 10 minutes are left for his classes to end,” she said. Seeking anonymity, another resident who has had faced similar situation in the area, said: “Only a few rickshaws have been authorised for Niketan and only they can come inside the area and leave.” “All other rickshaws, who try to enter the area at times, are not allowed to leave Niketan as stationed guards detain them. So the rickshaws bring in passengers but are stuck inside. Is this is a normal thinking?” He complained that for this situation, all rickshaws refuse to come to Niketan. During yesterday’s visit, the correspondent saw only a few special rickshaws with Niketan tags operating inside. However, some unauthorised rickshaws without any tags were also seen inside, giving service. When this correspondent asked the unauthorised rickshaw-pullers about the matter, they said that they are operating with the permission of the authorities and will soon get Niketan tags and uniforms. The rickshaw-pullers claimed that they were part of the next 150 rickshaws that will soon be launched in Niketan but when asked for any form of identification, they failed to provide any. However, when asked, the Niketan Welfare Society executive Pabon said no outside rickshaw has been given any such permission. The correspondent also witnessed that the area’s guards at the gates detained some unauthorised rickshaws who tried to enter the area. It was also seen that the rickshaw’s tires were being punctured at times as punishment. Seeing this, the correspondent inquired but was unable to determine how some rickshaws were allowed inside and some were being detained at the gates as no one could give a clear explanation. When contacted, DNCC Mayor Annisul Huq told the Dhaka Tribune that he is aware of the demand of Niketan residents and two meetings on this issue have already taken place with the residential area’s authorities. He further said: “The special rickshaw services were introduced in light of the security concerns and to bring discipline in the transport system of diplomatic zones.” “We are currently monitoring the matter and will take further steps based on our findings,” he added. Security has been tightened in Gulshan area since 23 people, mostly foreigners, were killed by terrorists on July 1 at an upmarket restaurant located at the heart of Dhaka’s diplomatic zone. As part of security measures, DNCC introduced 30 air-conditioned special bus services and 500 special community rickshaws authorised for the diplomatic zones – Gulshan, Baridhara, Banani and Niketan – on August 10. Among the 500 rickshaws, 400 rickshaws were for Gulshan and Banani – each getting 200 – and the rest 100 were divided equally among Baridhara and Niketan. The four societies are funding their own rickshaws. However, the exact amount of money needed could not be known.