Shawdesh Desk:

The government has finally launched the ‘Dhaka Nagar Paribahan’ under bus route rationalisation programme of the two Dhaka city corporations on trial basis, aiming to streamline the public transport sector and reduce traffic jams in Dhaka.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader inaugurated the bus services on Ghatarcha-Kanchpur route virtually from the secretariat on Sunday.

While inaugurating the bus service, the minister said all kinds of necessary assistance will be provided to develop a disciplined and modern public transport system for the people living in Dhaka.

“I was in a hospital for 12 days and today I’ve been discharged from the hospital. Instead of going back home from the hospital, I came here considering its importance,” he said.

At the initial stage, 50 buses will be operated on the route which will be elevated to 100 in phases. The entire city will get the service in 2023.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam were present.

In fact, Dhaka and its outskirts today account for more private vehicles than any other city in Bangladesh. The reason behind this unbridled rise in the number of private vehicles can be attributed to the lack of a robust public transport system. Also, most of the buses that ply in Dhaka are “unfit”.

If the two city corporations’ bus route rationalisation programme under the name of “Dhaka Nagar Paribahan” gets a success in the trial run on the 21 kilometre route from Ghatarchar in Keraniganj to Kanchpur, everything is expected to be changed eventually.

On October 5, DSCC Mayor Taposh said no old buses will be allowed to operate on the pilot route. The buses purchased after 1 January, 2019 that are operating now on this route will be included in the new service. “New buses will be added to the route as well.”

Besides, DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam said the drivers and helpers of these buses will have separate uniforms. “There’ll be more than 40 stops and 16 bus bays on this route,” he added.