Editorial
PM's instructions on parking
These should be implemented urgently
RECENTLY a campaign is in force to rid the streets of unfit vehicles, which contributes to worsening of the city's traffic congestion. Equally important is the issue of stopping the practice of parking vehicles in a haphazard fashion.
The situation has come to such a pass that prime minister herself took up the issue and instructed the authorities concerned to take measures to stop haphazard parking of vehicles and draft a set of rules for the purpose.
In this context, it is worthwhile to note the suggestions made by a pro-environment group in collaboration with a body of the urban planners. They pointed, among other things, to the habit of parking vehicles all over the place as one of the causes of the awful traffic snarl-ups. Whimsical parking apart, the inadequacy of the available road space to accommodate the ever-swelling population of vehicles is also at issue.
Of the many factors lying at the root of the problem of ever-shrinking road spaces are encroachment on pavements and road corners, including piling up of construction materials, hawkers setting up business, not to mention the arbitrary stoppage of vehicles on the thoroughfares and violation of all traffic rules on the book.
To avoid chaos on the road specified spots could be allocated for parking of the vehicles. The Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) may consider creating such parking zones in the city away from the busy roads. It should be mandatory for high-rise building owners to have their own parking spaces.
The issue of inadequacy of road space may be addressed also through managing it efficiently among the different kind users.
But on top of everything is implementation of the rules framed for the purpose strictly.
True, the suggested measures do not exhaust the options to ease the city's traffic mess. But seeing the worsening traffic condition of the city, the authorities have little time to wait either. Given the existing constraints, a lot can still be done in the present circumstances through infrastructural adjustments, optimum use of the available road space and strict implementation of rules made for the purpose.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments