Scrapping BRT: Don’t put people thru more pain

Planners warn of even more waste of money

Abandoning the Dhaka-Gazipur Bus Rapid Transit project could increase public expenditure, prolong traffic disruption, and forfeit potential public transport benefits, said Bangladesh Institute of Planners, questioning the decision’s rationale.

After the decision was made at a cabinet meeting on October 18, the BIP issued a statement, demanding its withdrawal. 

The institute described the move to convert the existing BRT infrastructure into a conventional highway as a “black day” for sustainable, energy-efficient, and inclusive public transport.

After 14 years and Tk 2,810 crore already spent, the country’s first dedicated 20.5km BRT project has been scrapped, with the government deciding to convert the corridor into a six-lane road.

Under the plan, BRT stations, lane dividers, and other related infrastructure will be dismantled to make way for three lanes of general traffic in each direction. Two existing two-lane overpasses may also be widened to four lanes.

By December 2024, around 97 percent of the infrastructure work had been completed, while overall physical progress stood at 77.48 percent.

Speaking to The Daily Star over the project scrapping, BIP General Secretary Prof Md Musleh Uddin Hasan said concerns over traffic congestion, pedestrian safety, and the operation of buses from stations in the middle of the road could be addressed through better planning, traffic management, and appropriate infrastructure.

“One of the key arguments against the project is that reserving a dedicated lane for BRT buses would leave fewer lanes for other vehicles, worsening congestion.” 

However, he argued that poor traffic management, particularly buses stopping at undesignated locations, was a major cause of congestion along the corridor.

When buses stop indiscriminately, others often queue behind them, obstructing traffic. Ensuring that buses pick up and drop off passengers only at designated stops could help traffic flow more smoothly, he said.

Prof Hasan also disputed concerns about passengers crossing the road to reach BRT stations. 

Several footbridges already exist along the 20.5km corridor, while around 18 additional footbridges were reportedly built under the project, although the exact number requires verification, he said.

The BIP general secretary said pedestrian crossings should be planned according to the road’s function, noting that designated crossings and footbridges would also be necessary if the corridor were converted into a conventional highway.

Regarding concerns about buses operating from median stations, Prof Hasan said the proposed buses reportedly had doors on both sides, allowing passengers to board and alight from stations in the road median. 

He added that the issue had been discussed with BRT authorities during the bus procurement process.

Prof Hasan also suggested exploring an extension beyond the airport to connect the route with the existing public transport network, potentially linking it to a nearby metro station or locations such as Bijoy Sarani or Mohakhali.

Regarding the road safety issue, he said accident risks should be assessed in terms of road design, speed management, pedestrian facilities, and enforcement, rather than treated as an inevitable consequence of BRT. 

A conventional highway would also require appropriate safety measures, particularly if operating speeds increased.

Prof Hasan warned that dismantling the infrastructure along the corridor would be complex and costly, requiring the removal of substantial structures and reconstruction of the road. The work could further disrupt commuters and prolong traffic congestion.

Referring to a reported estimate of Tk 45 crore for demolition, he said the final cost could be higher once road reconstruction, traffic management and commuters’ losses from additional delays were considered. He also highlighted potential safety risks during demolition.

He argued that authorities should account for public money already invested in the project and compare the cost of completing or modifying the BRT system with that of dismantling it and restoring the road.

Prof Hasan questioned the apparent reluctance to allocate additional funds to existing public transport infrastructure, referring to an estimated Tk 800 crore in annual metro rail subsidies in the previous year.

He also cited approximately Tk 1,200 crore reportedly spent or committed to the BRT project, suggesting that completing or modifying it could require another Tk 800 crore to Tk 1,000 crore. 

Major transport decisions, he said, should consider total expenditure, future benefits, operational feasibility and impacts on commuters, rather than construction or demolition costs alone.

Prof Hasan warned that converting the corridor into a conventional highway could encourage greater reliance on private cars, increasing fossil fuel consumption, and air pollution if efficient public transport alternatives were not provided.

He stressed that transport planning should prioritise mass transit and sustainable mobility rather than road expansion alone.

In a statement yesterday, the Institute for Planning and Development opposed the decision of scrapping the BRT project, saying that around 97 percent of the work had been completed.

IPD Executive Director Prof Adil Muhammad Khan said completing the remaining work would better serve public interests. 

The organisation urged the government to reverse the decision, investigate delays and cost overruns, hold those responsible accountable, and launch the service through a time-bound plan.

Meanwhile, a citizens’ platform staged a sit-in and formed a human chain on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in the Gazipur’s Bhogra Bypass area on Friday, protesting the government’s decision.

At the programme, organised by Sachetan Nagarik Oikya, Gazipur, Ali Nasher Khan, chief organiser of the NCP’s central executive committee, claimed only 3 percent of the project remained incomplete. 

He said an additional Tk 1,400 crore could complete the work and purchase 187 buses.

He added that dismantling the infrastructure could take five years, prolonging traffic congestion.

The project was funded by the government, the Asian Development Bank, and France’s Agence Française de Développement.