Rickshaws banned from key Dhaka roads

Dhaka city authorities have made some roads in the city off-limits to rickshaws in an effort to discipline chaotic traffic.

The roads meander from Gabtali to Azimpur via Asad Gate, from Science Lab Crossing to Shahbagh through Bata intersection and from Kuril to Syedabad Bus Terminal through Badda, Rampura and Khilgaon.

These are the roads initially picked up for the ban to be effective from July 7, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon said on Wednesday.

A committee led by the mayor took the decision to discipline the public transport sector in Dhaka metropolitan areas.

The authorities would take necessary steps so that the citizens face no problem due to the ban on rickshaws on these roads, the mayor said. Private transport companies and BRTC would arrange adequate bus services on these roots, he added.  

In order to ensure unhindered pedestrian movement, the two city corporations will conduct mobile court drives to free the sidewalks from encroachment, according to Khokon.

“Some buildings have been constructed along these roads violating the building code. Some have their ramps on the sidewalks. Rajuk will identify these buildings and demolish the illegal structures,” he said.

The committee was formed in a Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority meeting chaired by Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader on June 19 to prevent illegal vehicles from plying the streets, free the sidewalks from encroachment and stop illegal parking.

The committee headed by Khokon was given two months to complete its job.

It would sit again after a week to review the activities, the mayor said.

“Its prime duty is to ensure gradually that the main streets in Dhaka do not experience traffic congestion. We will remove illegal rickshaws, battery-powered rickshaws, illegal Laguna (small passenger vehicle) to ease congestion and make the pavements suitable to walk on,” he said.