Govt mulls building outer ring road to ease Dhaka traffic

The government is considering building an outer ring road in the capital as part of its move to ease nagging traffic congestion in the bustling city.

A feasibility study is being conducted by the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) in this regard, according to official sources.

The outer ring road is expected to reduce traffic pressure in the main city to a large extent.

A meeting of the Project Implementation Committee (PIC) with DTCA Executive Director Sabiba Parvin in the chair was held recently to discuss different aspects of the project.

Three outer ring roads (inner, middle, and outer ring roads) have been proposed in the draft structure plan and revised strategic transport plan.

The outer ring roads will connect interregional link roads, which will eventually help reduce traffic gridlock in downtown Dhaka.

As a result, the process of decentralisation will be accelerated and businesses on the outskirts of Dhaka will be able to expand.

Mithun Pal Dwip, Research officer at the Programming Division of the Planning Commission, said, "The project is a long-term plan reflected in the feasibility study on the outer ring road, eastern western, and northern part of the city.

In addition to addressing the intolerable traffic congestion in Dhaka city, this project is expected to help reduce the suffering of city dwellers and reduce working hour waste, he said.

The government appointed ACE Consultant Ltd with JV partner BCL Associate Ltd as the project consultant on August 22 this year for conducting the feasibility study at a cost of Tk 117.2 million. The firm began working on August 29.

The consultation duration is 12 months and the feasibility study is expected to be completed by December this year.

Project Director Rokibul Hassan informed the PIC meeting that the consultation firm had submitted an action plan and inspection report. 

He told the meeting that the project would need more time to complete the work properly. They have already applied for extending the time up to December 2023, which is now under process at the Planning Commission.

However, the project activity has been hindered by restrictions imposed by the finance ministry on the purchase of project vehicles because the project calls for a jeep to be procured for Tk 75 lakh.

The PIC meeting was informed that the vehicle is necessary for the feasibility study because the outer ring road alignment passes through Hemayetpur, Kalakandi, Madanpur, Danga, Baipail and Gazipur and the project officials have to frequently move through these areas. It suggested hiring a microbus.