Dr. Syed Nesar Ahmad Rumy
We know Savar is an important township near Dhaka and Dhaka-Aricha-Paturia was almost a lifeline between western and eastern part of Bangladesh about 30 years back. Before construction of Jamuna Bridge and Padma Bridge this highway was only entry point by road for the people of northern and south-western part of Bangladesh. After completion of Jamuna and Padma Bridges the importance of this highway does not decrease. Maybe, the volumes of passengers have been reduced but over the years with the gradually increasing number of people using this highway shows its importance to the policymakers of the country.
We also know Savar has developed as a place of important garments and industrial hub, garrison town, government institutions, atomic energy center and many more. Hundreds of thousand people are using this highway for going and coming to different places in the country. The road has now turned as four lanes. The Gabtoli Bridge has been renovated recently and a project of metro-line is yet to be started from Baliarpur / Hemayetpur of Savar to central area of Dhaka city for commuters. It might take long time to complete the construction of this metro-line. Nowadays, practically commuters use buses (local and regional service) to come and go to Dhaka from Savar. There is no provision of using three wheelers and ‘Tempos’ and other slow-motion vehicles in this important highway. For that reason, commuters face grim and severe situation in their everyday work. Even the people living in the Bank town and Advance police town have to avail buses, private cars and two wheelers motor bike to go to Savar bazar. Because this highway is only communication mode between Savar zero point to Bank town and Advance Police town. People cannot avail three wheelers and rikshaws, tempos as there prevails no options for those vehicles in that road. Whereas, the distance between Savar central area to Bank town and Advance police town is only few kilometers. Moreover, the locals of Baliarpur and Shingair have to use long-route buses for meeting up their necessities.
In this situation, a separate service lane for slow motion vehicles and three wheelers/ rikshaws is needed alongside up to Savar and Nabinagar from Gabtoli. So, that commuters can use that lane. Actually it is needed badly. If this happens the journey of Dhaka City to Savar will be safer and easier.
In fact Savar has become an extended part Dhaka Metropolis. Savar cantonment, Savar DOHS and the national Mausoleum attract a large number of people every day. But the only communication between Dhaka to Savar up to Nabinagar is Dhaka-Paturia/Aricha highway. Localizations of many industries in and around Savar have made this area very populace. So for those reasons, a parallel alternative road and service lane or three-wheeler’s lane are now demand of the time. At present people cannot use three-wheeler to come and go to Savar and as well as from Dhaka.
Currently, an underutilized but deplorable road exist between Savar bazar to Birulia Bridge and it connects Savar to Birulia which is very close to Uttara sector-18. This road is now very narrow and using this road, riding private cars and two/three wheelers are not comfortable in this road.
A separate and alternative road from Dhaka to Savar can be a great relieve for the commuters of Dhaka and Savar. So the concerned authority can take a project to connect Savar alternatively. For that reason this existing road needs widened. And the embankment of the eastern side of the river Turag should be at least four lanes from Gabtoli to Dhour Mor. About 15 kilometres of this embankment are gaining importance day by day. Heavy rush of traffics is the normal picture of this embankment road. Moreover, Sector 16, 17 and 18 of Uttara are getting populous day by day. New buildings of residential purpose and different institutions are being constructed. It is assumed that over the years hundreds of thousand of people will live in this area.
Many government and non-government institutions are situated at Savar areas and in addition Savar has become a one of the garments hubs in Bangladesh. Huge labor intensity makes Savar area very much populous and for that reason the road/highway linking Savar with Dhaka becomes stuck-up. This is a great problem for the commuters’ movements in and around Savar area. Though the existing road linking Savar with Dhaka is now of four lanes but it might become dangerous for small and light vehicles. So a new alternative road linking Savar with Dhaka is needed badly.
The concerned authority may also think about a third connecting road linking Savar with the capital and it can start from Basila area along the parallel with existing road for decongestion in the main highway. In addition, a bypass road can also be constructed at Boiarpur, Hemayetpur connecting Keraniganj and Dhaka – Maow highway. If it happens, traffic congestions in Dhaka city might turn in a new shape and that ultimately give ease and comfort to the residents of the capital.
We know Dhaka city is getting larger over the years and it is like a magnet attracting people across all corner of Bangladesh. So, some satellite towns or townships adjacent to Dhaka city might absorb the pressures of this extra huge population. For that reason, those townships can be developed in such a way that residents of those areas can avail all the facilities of Dhaka city living in those areas. In near future our country will be graduated as developing country and within 2040 we look forward to be a trillion-dollar economy. We have all potential to be so. So for the betterment of the people we need a strong policy on infrastructures building by the policymakers of the country. If that is so, we might be enhanced as a developed country in near future.
(The writer is former civil servant).
