The number of buses on the route will later be increased to 100
Photo shows a bus of the Dhaka Nagar Paribahan service, Sunday, December 26, 2021 Bangla Tribune
Tribune Report
Publish : 26 Dec 2021, 04:34 PMUpdate : 20 Feb 2022, 10:33 AM
The much-hyped Dhaka Nagar Paribahan service has finally started its operations with 50 buses, six years after the franchise model was initiated.
The service was launched on a trial basis from Ghatarchar to Kanchpur on Sunday in a bid to bring discipline to the transport system of the capital.
Of the 50 buses, 20 are from a private company named Trans Silva, which will operate under an agreement with the authorities concerned.
The number of buses on the route will later be increased to 100.
According to officials concerned, the bus fare under the new service is Tk2.15 per kilometre. The drivers will wear a green uniform and passengers can avail an e-ticketing system.
Annisul Huq, the former Dhaka mayor, came up with the bus franchise system in 2015. He wanted to make a fleet of 4,000 buses under the new system.
The Bus Route Rationalization Committee (BRRC) had to modify the franchise model due to the reluctance of most private bus operators.
As a result, the BRRC started the trial run with mostly red Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) double-decker buses, despite the route being under the green cluster.
BRRC chief and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh presided over the inauguration ceremony of the service in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, in his remarks as chief guest, said the government had been developing road infrastructure with mega projects but the people did not get their benefits due to a lack of discipline.
“Such indiscipline not only causes accidents but also accounts for traffic gridlocks,” the minister said, attending the ceremony via videoconferencing from the Secretariat.
The new initiative of the Dhaka mayors would improve the discipline in the transport system, Quader said with optimism.
Meanwhile, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Md Atiqul Islam said bus route franchising was a tough ask but not impossible if everyone worked in close coordination.
“An unhealthy competition is seen among the buses of different companies due to the lack of a well-planned transport system, which causes both small and major accidents. So we have to restore discipline in the transport system,” he added.
The DNCC mayor also warned of strict action against anyone violating traffic rules.
After the death of former DNCC mayor, the responsibility shifted to then DSCC mayor Sayeed Khokon. The BRRC, formed under his leadership, held 11 meetings but failed to restore discipline.
Khokon was later replaced by Taposh. He announced a fresh start and held a series of meetings to start the new service.
Dhaka Nagar Paribahan starts special bus service
The number of buses on the route will later be increased to 100
The much-hyped Dhaka Nagar Paribahan service has finally started its operations with 50 buses, six years after the franchise model was initiated.
The service was launched on a trial basis from Ghatarchar to Kanchpur on Sunday in a bid to bring discipline to the transport system of the capital.
Of the 50 buses, 20 are from a private company named Trans Silva, which will operate under an agreement with the authorities concerned.
The number of buses on the route will later be increased to 100.
According to officials concerned, the bus fare under the new service is Tk2.15 per kilometre. The drivers will wear a green uniform and passengers can avail an e-ticketing system.
Annisul Huq, the former Dhaka mayor, came up with the bus franchise system in 2015. He wanted to make a fleet of 4,000 buses under the new system.
The Bus Route Rationalization Committee (BRRC) had to modify the franchise model due to the reluctance of most private bus operators.
As a result, the BRRC started the trial run with mostly red Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) double-decker buses, despite the route being under the green cluster.
BRRC chief and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh presided over the inauguration ceremony of the service in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, in his remarks as chief guest, said the government had been developing road infrastructure with mega projects but the people did not get their benefits due to a lack of discipline.
“Such indiscipline not only causes accidents but also accounts for traffic gridlocks,” the minister said, attending the ceremony via videoconferencing from the Secretariat.
The new initiative of the Dhaka mayors would improve the discipline in the transport system, Quader said with optimism.
Meanwhile, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Md Atiqul Islam said bus route franchising was a tough ask but not impossible if everyone worked in close coordination.
“An unhealthy competition is seen among the buses of different companies due to the lack of a well-planned transport system, which causes both small and major accidents. So we have to restore discipline in the transport system,” he added.
The DNCC mayor also warned of strict action against anyone violating traffic rules.
After the death of former DNCC mayor, the responsibility shifted to then DSCC mayor Sayeed Khokon. The BRRC, formed under his leadership, held 11 meetings but failed to restore discipline.
Khokon was later replaced by Taposh. He announced a fresh start and held a series of meetings to start the new service.
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