Easing traffic jam
Numerous reports and letters appear almost regularly in your daily relating to frustrating traffic jams in Dhaka city and valuable time lost by commuters. One may observe that even if there are only ten cars on the road the drivers will block each other on red signal without any consideration to which way they will go on green signal. I personally believe if some common sense approach is applied and strictly implemented by the police, there is every possibility that traffic jam will be eased. There are a few basic traffic rules that should be strictly adhered to and the violators must be punished with heavy fines. First, all roads must have two lanes, one for vehicles that intend to take a left turn and another for vehicles intending to go straight or turn right. No U turns or changing lanes, even if one lane is empty, should be allowed. For buses to drop or pick up passengers a parking bay should be created at all bus stoppages. Heavy fines should be imposed for illegal parking. By the way, let illegal parking be handled by a private company as done in London. To begin with the road from ZIA to Bishwa Road can be used as a project to educate the drivers to follow the two lane rules. A contingent of traffic police should be posted along with signs and banners urging drivers to follow the rules on this section of Airport Road. Gradually the rule can be implemented in all major roads of the city except for the section of the road from Banani rail-gate to airport where passengers are proceeding to catch a flight. Whatever theory we may come up with, the fact remains that our drivers and most owners of vehicles are not educated on traffic rules and for this government should make frequent announcements on traffic rules on television (may be in the form of cartoons like Meena) and radio. Private television channels should also join the campaign to educate drivers on traffic rules. If this campaign is carried out for a couple of years, I am sure the results will start showing. Interestingly, in Kolkata I see the drivers still do not dare to overtake or take a U turn in the middle of the road and the government is constantly implementing new traffic rules with stern warnings, unlike any other city in the subcontinent. Illegal parking is strictly dealt with. I feel ashamed to see Dhaka, once a most cherished city, turning into a lawless place. Let us save Dhaka from the onslaught of traffic jams.
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