The communication ministry is going to prevent unfit and illegal vehicles from operating on Dhaka city streets after March 26 to free the city of traffic congestion.
It has also taken an initiative to activate and improve the digital traffic controlling system in a bid to reduce traffic hazards.
Communication Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday told reporters that two committees led by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority chairman and the LGRD secretary had been formed to identify traffic problems in the city and submit within 10 days recommendations for resolving those.
After a meeting of the Bangladesh Road Transport Advisory Council held at the ministry, Obaidul said the committee led by the BRTA chairman was tasked withidentifying unfit and illegal vehicles and suggestingactions.The committeewould meet within seven days to identify the problems.
The ministry would start a drive against the unfit vehicles after receiving the committee’s report, said Obaidul.
The other members of the committee are the superintendent engineer of Roads and Highways Department, joint commissioner (traffic) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, deputy inspector general of Highway Police, secretary general of Road Transport Owners Association, general secretary of Road Transport Workers Federation, and president of Truck and Covered Van Owners Association. The other committee was formed to fix the traffic controlling system and suggest improvements.
Its members include the administrators of the Dhaka north and south city corporations, DMP additional commissioner, representatives of Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority and the BRTA,joint secretary to Roads Division, and president of Road Transport Owners Association. Terming Dhaka city dirty,ObaidulQuader said:“We have already started working. But, the main problem is a lack of coordination.”
He claimed collection of extortions at bus terminals in the city had already decreased andit wouldtake more time to stop completely. New taxicabs from Pahela Baishakh The minister saidcitizens of Dhaka city were likely to see new taxicabs fromPahelaBaishakh.
The prime minister is expected to inaugurate the operation of 60 new taxicabs.Two private companies are importing60 of 500taxicabs permitted by the BRTA. “TomaParibahon, a sister concern of Toma Construction, and the Army Welfare Trust have been given clearance to import 250 cabs each for Dhaka and Chittagong cities.The process of importing 60 taxicabs has been completed and they will arrive this month,”Obaidul said.
