Editorial
Traffic lights and traffic jams
Pragmatic measures needed to ease the problem
The DMP's decision to let the traffic signals play their due role in regulating traffic on the main roads of Dhaka is a very welcome decision although one is constrained to ask why so long the police chose to dispense with the use of something that is the normal mode of controlling traffic. However, the abrupt manner of change, particularly withdrawal of traffic police, has created predictable chaos.
Traffic lights have been in place in the capital since long. The system was upgraded and computerised some years ago only to be disregarded. This was primarily because the computerised timings did not take into consideration the volume of traffic flow, and manual control was found to be the only way out.
It must be admitted that the pressure on the roads of Dhaka has gone beyond the capacity of the roads as well of the traffic police, and reverting to the traffic lights may not by itself be enough to solve the problem, although it may lessen the woes of the commuters. Unless other measures are adopted simultaneously the desired improvement in traffic management can't be achieved.
However, there are a few matters relating the traffic lights that must be addressed by the authority concerned immediately. First, let the traffic lights operate as they should; the policemen should be there in full force to complement the system and not override it. Stringent action must be taken against the violators while at the same time the public must be sensitised to the need to follow traffic signal.
But before the signal system can be of good use, it must be digitalised to cater to the variable volume of traffic depending on the time of the day. And to do that the current arrangement of dual control, of the DCC and the DMP, must be removed. It must be put fully under the DMP's traffic department.
We also suggest that a central traffic control room be set up immediately which would, among other things, monitor constantly the major roads and intersections of the capital and take corrective measures, including adjustment of timings of traffic lights, as the need arises, as is done in most metropolis of the world.
Side by side enhancing the efficiency of traffic control system, additional measures to ease congestion on the roads must be taken up forthwith. For example, bus stoppages on major intersections must be relocated and slower traffic gradually phased out. Traffic police must come down hard on the bus drivers who park randomly on the roads impeding traffic. The 'no-parking zone' must be strictly implemented but before that adequate parking facilities like multistoried parking space should be built, and there should be no letup of the drive against those building owners who have failed to cater for parking space disregarding the approved building plans.
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