Another bright idea to ease traffic?

We understand that Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and the World Bank are looking into the option to make traffic management possible using a combination of digital and manual options. The current traffic light system which was first introduced in 2004 to ease movement of traffic failed to bring positive results as vehicular numbers have mushroomed exponentially over the last decade. The system was upgraded later on with countdown timers along with solar panels to power traffic lights and total cost of these two projects was Tk 37 crore, neither of which worked. We have had a series of trials-and-errors and funds going down the drain. There is no guarantee that the latest line of thinking will work, which involves a system of traffic police using remote control devices to switch on the red or green lights assessing the traffic flow, will work. In fact no feasibility study seems to have been done to find out whether the latest incarnation of traffic system will have the desired effect or not.

We live in a chaotic city with multiple problems on the roads. Jaywalking is now a national pastime because pavements are occupied. We have non-motorised vehicles occupying the same space alongside motorised vehicles on roads. The fact that Dhaka's road infrastructure is woefully inadequate, i.e. a city this size should have 20 percent roads whereas we only have 7.5 percent. Then there is the question of drivers having little knowledge of traffic laws, random VIP movements—are all factors that need to be taken into account before introducing another ill-thought out programme for traffic control which will simply be a waste of resources. What experts agree on is that Dhaka needs an effective traffic signal system. But what is also needed is to take into account the anomalies that create the conditions for such terrible gridlocks in the city. Unless we address these systemic problems, merely introducing another traffic management system will not bring desired results.