Editorial
Traffic, again
No country can thrive with its capital in chaos
ONCE again the capital's traffic woes have hit the headlines and the denizens of Dhaka have had to suffer for hours due to the choking congestion. The proximate cause of the appalling jams that clogged up the city's roads on Tuesday were street demonstrations that brought traffic to a halt in many places, but this is only one of the maladies that beset us.
For the 12 million plus residents of the capital city, trivial as it may sound, there is no more pressing concern than that of traffic congestion. Indeed, the lower down the economic ladder one is, the more affected by the traffic situation. Those who must use pubic transportation are the ones who suffer the most from the delay and frustration that is a daily occurrence.
The new government, we are glad to see, is undertaking projects to build new roads, and seems to be making this a priority issue. However, it is not enough. What is called for is a complete and comprehensive overhaul of the existing system and massive investment in the necessary infrastructure.
But this is not all. We also need to make fixing Dhaka a priority, and to this end traffic laws must be enforced, traffic police need to be trained and deployed, and innovative ideas such as congestion charges, mandatory busing for schools, car pool lanes, expanded parking, etc as well as the promotion of public transport need to be explored.
At the same time, as Tuesday's incident showed, we need to ensure that the roads are not clogged by demonstrators. People may have legitimate cause for protest, but when this inconveniences the average citizen and keeps one from being able to go about one's business freely, then it is unacceptable.
In short, solving the traffic problem is as crucial as it is complex. It needs to be addressed not only immediately but also comprehensively. But the one thing that the government can do that would improve life for Dhaka residents the most would be to improve their mobility and the city's livability.
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