WITH traffic congestion virtually bringing life to a standstill in the city, particularly in the peak hours, the government is reported to be ready to set up Dhaka Mass Transit Authority, replacing the existing Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB), to deal with the situation.

We believe it is a move in the right direction as the DTCB could not achieve the desired level of coordination between different agencies meant for traffic management. It ended up being traffic mismanagement, a sore point in our scheme of urban living. Loss of time and energy on the roads has reached stupendous proportions and there is still no solution in sight. The government is apparently thinking of mega-projects which if implemented properly might reduce the pressure on the traffic system. But these projects are capital-intensive and will also take a lot of time.

The situation in Dhaka today calls for quick remedial measures which will give the citizens some breathing space. So, the emphasis should be on short and mid-term projects that will enable commuters and vehicles to move at a reasonable speed. One idea floated long ago is to introduce shuttle trains which will benefit a large chunk of the city population. Similarly, introduction of circular waterways might be the answer to the nagging problem of too many people vying for too little space in public and private transports.

Then the issue of road space economy has been raised by the experts time and again. Here big double-decked buses can play an important role. The so-called minibuses which the commuters have to rely on are definitely not fit for an overpopulated metropolis like Dhaka.

The Mass Transit Authority which will be in place soon has to work on the basis of a well thought out plan. In the past, the DTCB became non-functional due to lack of coordination between the communications ministry and Dhaka City Corporation. The decision makers will have to make sure that the change of name will mean real change, and not merely an administrative measure that will have no practical implications. It must take a series of steps to bring discipline to Dhaka roads.

The decision makers have to set their priorities, and act accordingly, keeping in view the intolerable situation that Dhaka commuters find themselves in.