The government has shifted its focus to the construction of a subway and underground transport networks to address traffic congestion in Dhaka as initiatives to bring discipline to the roads of the capital are proving ineffective.
According to the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry, the Bridge Division alone will spend more than $65.45 billion to build the subway network. The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) estimates that the construction of the subway will cost around $275 million (Tk2,362 crore) per kilometre.
Separately, the Road Transport and Highways Division is set to build six metro rail routes, and a major part of five of the routes will be underground
Officials related to the projects said they hoped the massive underground networks would finally bring order to Dhaka traffic.
Experts, meanwhile, have expressed concern over the cost of underground construction, although acknowledging that a proper subway would help ease traffic on roads.
It would be possible to ensure a quality bus service with the cost of just one kilometre of subway construction, they said.
At a program in the capital yesterday, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader criticized the appalling state of Dhaka road traffic and said it was imperative to introduce a subway system in the capital to ensure discipline.
When contacted, Buet civil engineering department Prof Shamsul Haque said: “The government is focusing on big budget projects to improve mobility, rather than improving the existing transport system. Developing the road traffic system is a must, as people use public buses in all cities even if they have subways or metro rails.”
Kazi Md Saifun Newaz, transport expert and assistant professor at Buet, said: “Along with mega projects, the government should improve the road traffic system as it is cheaper.”
Underground traffic
The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) has completed the preliminary design of four routes of the Dhaka Subway, aiming to complete the construction work by 2030, said Quazi Muhammad Ferdous, chief engineer of BBA and project director of the Dhaka Subway.
The BBA plans to bring the whole of Dhaka city under a complete subway network with 11 routes by 2070.
According to the BBA, the four preliminary routes are a 30.51km subway line from Gabtoli to Bholabo in Rupganj, a 29.35km route from Jhilmil in Narayanganj to Tongi junction, a 19.5km route from Keraniganj to Sonapur in Narayanganj, and a 47.54km route from Jahangirnagar University to Narayanganj.
The seven other proposed routes are from Keraniganj to East Nandipara, Bashundhara to Gabtoli, Hazaribagh to Purbachal, Shah Kabir Mazar road to Sadarghat, Teghoria Bazar to Bandar, Tongi junction to Gazipur, and Gabtoli to Ambagan.
According to the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), the implementing agency of metro rail, a total of 129.91km of metro rail lines will be constructed by 2030 in Dhaka, including 68.62km that are elevated and 61.17km that will be underground.
As approved by the government, MRT Line 1 will comprise two routes: Airport Line and Purbachal Line. The Airport Line will connect Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and Kamalapur Railway Station, while the Purbachal Line will connect the centre of Dhaka to Purbachal New Town.
MRT Line 5 is expected to ease transport from the west to the east of the city.
