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Published : 01 Sep 2023, 02:25 AM
The long-awaited Dhaka Elevated Expressway is expected to relieve the city's chronic traffic woes when it finally opens to the general public. However, there are concerns that the structure may worsen congestion at certain junctions.
Several ramps of the expressway are situated in areas that are widely viewed as traffic hotspots. When operational, experts fear that the fast-moving vehicles descending from these ramps will only intensify bottlenecks below.
Stretching 19.73 km, the expressway begins at Kawla near Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and ends at Shonir Akhra on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway.
A 12-km section up to Tejgaon is already built and set for inauguration by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sept 2.
In total, 31 ramps spanning 27 km in length have been established to facilitate vehicles' entry and exit.
There are 15 entry ramps at locations such as the airport, Kuril, Army Stadium, Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Sarani, and Shonir Akhra, among others, and 16 exit ramps at places such as Kuril, Cantonment, and Indira Road.
Vehicles heading south from the airport region can ascend the expressway through ramps at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Kuril, and near the Army Golf Club. They can exit at places such as Banani's Kakoli and Mohakhali Bus Terminal, among others.
Vehicles approaching the airport from the south can access the expressway via toll plazas located near Bijoy Sarani overpass and Banani Rail Station. Exit points for these vehicles include areas near the Mohakhali Bus Terminal, Kuril Biswa Road, and the airport's third terminal.
Urban planning experts expressed concerns about the ramps at locations like Banani’s Kakoli, Mohakhali, Bijoy Sarani overpass and the Palashi intersection.
Dr Shamdul Haque of BUET highlighted deviations from the 2013 expressway plan in the placement of ramps due to several obstructions. Many were constructed in areas that were not in the original blueprint.
"Various organisations raised concerns, leading to a more scattered layout for the ramps. For instance, in Mohakhali, two ramps were initially meant to be erected near the RAWA Club. The Khamar Bari ramp was also moved closer to the RANGS building," he said.
"Since the project was implemented under a public-private partnership, they had to adjust the alignment. As a result, the ramps were built in a disorganised manner, deviating from the original plan."
Multiple objections led to a more scattered ramp layout. For instance, the originally intended Mohakhali ramps near the RAWA Club were shifted close to the RANGS building. These deviations have resulted in ramps in traffic-heavy areas, he explained.
Dr Haque notes that ramps in areas such as Kakoli, Mohakhali, and Bijoy Sarani, which are already notorious for traffic, will see increased congestion as vehicles descend from the expressway. "Therefore, vehicles could be stuck on the expressway just as they are on the Banani, Gulistan, Tejgaon, and Mouchak-Moghbazar flyovers."
RAMP LAYOUT AMPLIFIES TRAFFIC CONCERNS
Vehicles from Farmgate and the airport will primarily exit at Banani’s Kakoli, with a big chunk heading towards Gulshan via Kemal Attaturk Avenue. Some vehicles will merge with traffic on the Airport Road. Given the well-documented traffic malaise near the Kakoli signal, the opening of the expressway may exacerbate congestion.
Another concern is the ramp opposite the Mohakhali Bus Terminal. Buses often stop there, and vehicles heading to fuel stations cluster in that area. The ramp's opening could worsen traffic congestion.
The Bijoy Sarani overpass already faces congestion at both its ends. With new ramps in place, this could intensify, especially with many vehicles queuing at the toll plazas.
A separate ramp runs from Karwan Bazar rail crossing to the Palashi intersection, an area already bustling with slow-moving traffic like rickshaws. This ramp's usage will likely worsen the traffic situation there.
Akter Mahmud, an urban planner, believes that while the expressway was intended for seamless traffic flow across the city, ramp placements seemed to prioritise commercial interests.
He likens the situation to the Hanif Flyover, where traffic jams form near key exits.
“Revenue will increase when vehicles get on the elevated expressway from different points. But the exits are likely to create traffic jams. This has happened with the Hanif Flyover. Traffic snarls near Dhaka Medical College and near the exit point at Gulistan.”
Additional Commissioner Munibur Rahman of Dhaka Metropolitan Police also raised concerns about the expressway's potential impact on traffic along the underlying roads.
Authorities have identified the areas that are likely to be affected, according to him.
“We'll re-evaluate our observations and share our findings with the Department of Bridges,” Rahman stated. He added that traffic will be managed based on priority after a thorough evaluation.
CITY AUTHORITIES VOICE CONCERNS
During a Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority meeting on May 8, both city corporations expressed concerns about potential ramp-induced congestion.
The meeting was convened by a committee responsible for synchronizing existing road, rail, and water transport development projects in Dhaka.
The Dhaka South City Corporation suggested that the expressway should extend beyond the capital in line with existing road and rail plans, according to the meeting minutes. Current ramp placements increase the traffic load within the city, the DSCC said.
One ramp will direct traffic towards Panthakunja Park via the FDC, and another towards Palashi through Hatirpool. These risk damaging Panthakunja Park and increasing congestion at the Palashi intersection.
Upon the expressway's inauguration, vehicles heading to Padma Bridge will likely opt for the Hanif Flyover via Palashi.
An expressway ramp will facilitate traffic exits at the Kakoli intersection on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, potentially heightening congestion.
The Dhaka North City Corporation stressed the immediate need for action to address these concerns.
In response, AHMS Akter, director of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway project, said they are "re-evaluating" the concerns.
“We're collaborating with Dhaka South City Corporation on the Palashi and Panthakunja ramps. We've already established a dedicated lane for vehicles exiting the Kakoli ramp. These vehicles will diverge in two separate directions, minimising congestion risks.”
Nevertheless, DSCC Mayor Fazle Noor Taposh maintained his stance against the expressway ramp.
“We must preserve Panthakunja Park. Additionally, there is a box culvert that supplies water to a large portion of Dhaka. If this culvert is compromised by the ramp, it could disrupt water distribution. We've already raised this concern with the authorities.”
[Writing in English by Sabrina Karim Murshed; editing by Turaj Ahmad]
