Alternatives to Dhaka Traffic Jam Essay Example

Bangladesh should introduce subway train system like the METRO of Kolkata city of India.

Different scholarly articles and research paper by “The Dhaka Urban Transport Project (DUTP)” has been formulated based upon the recommendations of the Dhaka integrated Transport Study (DITS) and reflects most of the issues laid down in the Immediate Action Plan (IAP) of DITS. They strongly feel; that it isn’t too late for Dhaka city and that if the government sets up a different sector for the traffic management.Than this would help in a better regulation in the traffic flow as well as maintaining rules and regulations of the traffic system. My hypothesis that was laid for this was that mismanagement is to blamed for this traffic congestion problem and that Dhaka should have an underground subway tramp system. This would help ease the traffic concentrated on the roads.

INTRODUCTION

Increasing traffic demands and limited road space has made traffic jams a common scenario of Dhaka city. Dhaka being the capital of Bangladesh tends to be over populated with people, vehicles and infrastructures.The true development of a nation depends on its extent of global participation. From the economic point of view, Dhaka is the nation’s gateway and hence it is extremely important to attract global investment. This step towards globalization can be achieved if the capital city is provided with a reliable, secure and comfortable transport system, if it is to compete with the other world’s countries. Bangladesh can take into consideration of her neighboring country, India.

The Kolkata city, it introduced underground tramp ways called METRO. This eased the traffic of the kolkata city.This same concept can be perceived by our country. Even tough this

requires a huge investment and planning. But this seems to be a better lasting option for Dhaka city’s traffic. Thus Government must play a vital role in deciding the country’s future. Because well designed roads or transportation system can take Bangladesh to higher level of achievement.

BACKGROUND

Dhaka represents to be a densely populated city with more than 13 million people compared to 3. 5 million people in 1951, this city has being gaining population at the rate of 7% a year.Mostly Dhaka city consist of internal migrants who come in search of a job, better health care and educational opportunities.

The U. N. statistics projected that Dhaka would be the most populous city after Tokyo by year 2015. According to a recent Japanese environmental report, “Dhaka city is beset with a number of socio-environmental problems.

Traffic congestion, flooding, solid waste disposal, black smoke from vehicular and industrial emissions, air and noise pollution, and pollution of water bodies by industrial discharge.... With the increasing growth in population the other variables for living like food, shelter and demand for better roadways have increased in recent years.

The main cause for traffic congestion is the mismanagement of the government to regulate a healthy traffic in the city, followed by the slow non-motorized moving vehicles like rickshaw, the building of multistoried buildings without adequate parking facilities. But presently caretaker government has put RAJUK (RAJUK is one of the lead "Construction Actor" in the development process of Dhaka.

The main activities include construction of roads, box-culverts/culverts and bridges and also development, excavation and filling of land) in the move to actively handle and demolish the structures that were illegally occupied by people which were

public owned property this demolishing act by RAJUK gave Dhaka more space for movement for people and construction of roads. Thus the inadequate and inefficient form of transportation system has led the whole process of road blockage that resulted in huge number of traffic jams in the city.What can be the alternative to reduce such traffic is my main concern. Encouraging people to use public transport and minimize personal car usage would result in a reduction of vehicle number in the city.

A necessary step towards solving this problem would be to construct more flyovers and widen the existing roads. The best option that will definitely reduce the congestion on the roads by introducing an underground subway train like METRO in Kolkata. If our next door neighbor can come up with a subway tramp than Bangladesh should also give a try to invest in building a new way of transportation.

AREAS OF RESEARCH

1. Certain areas interested me to do a detail research and analysis on finding the alternatives for reducing the traffic congestion in Dhaka city. The areas that included for my detail study is:
2. The cause for traffic jam As I’ve mentioned that this research paper mains at focusing on the cause, effect and alternative to reduce traffic jams in Dhaka city. The major cause for the traffic jam is believed to be due to reasons such as slow moving rickshaw, huge vehicles on the busy road and the mismanagement of the traffic control department.
3. The main reasons why still it is continuing to take place The main reason that Dhaka people said for the continuation of the traffic jam problem is due to
   

the absence of a different management to solely control the Dhaka city’s traffic jam.

HYPOTHESIS

I strongly feel that new methods to

enhance traffic control, like flyovers or underground tramps can be best alternative to a serious problem of traffic jams in Dhaka city.

And what I expected turned out to be right after I conducted my survey.

METHODOLOGY

To come up with this project I tried to utilize all the possible sources that I could get hand onto. To explain the process of different methods that I utilized during this project.I subdivided the methodology data collection into required subtitles as below:

Secondary Data: The secondary data obtained from the magazine and newspaper articles that I got from North South University library’s reference section. I referred the issues that were quiet recent that is mostly from year 2004-2007. This helped me to get up to date information of what progress the concerned management of Bangladesh is taking to reduce the traffic congestion problem. I couldn’t handy any books in my university library.But I did get some slight statistical data from certain reference work of the university students.

Websites: Due to lack of sufficient information from the library and out door books. I ended up using the internet. I got few wed posted articles by different researchers. The references are used in my own research work, where I cited the sources in APA format.

Primary Data: The main concern for me was to find, what is Dhaka people’s opinion on the traffic jam problem of Dhaka city. The various cause, effect and alternatives to reduce the traffic congestion.To get a public opinion a quota survey provided a good way to interact with different opinions.

Questionnaire survey I designed a questionnaire to conduct a survey and know what are the leading causes of traffic jams in

Dhaka city. The effects of these causes that contribute to the traffic jam. The main concern was to analyze and estimate a better solution or to find an alternative for the traffic congestion in Dhaka city.

Sample size and Design The primary data obtained from the direct survey that I conducted on 30 people.It was based on quota sampling and thus the result of the survey is considered to be a mass audience response. The survey was conducted in Dhaka among various age group and different sectors of society. The responses against the questions in the survey are listed in the data analysis section.

The answers of each question are either supported by graphs or charts for a better understanding of the reader. The questionnaire of the survey was designed to bring out the people’s opinion, views and thoughts about the cause effect and alternatives to the traffic jam problem existing in the Dhaka city.Since a very small number of people were considered for the survey. There is a chance for the response to be biased. But as mentioned this survey was taken from different university students, different age group. This might have helped to reduce the biasness in the result. Each survey sheet was filled up in my presence. I personally filled up the form to avoid misinterpretation of any question.