The Institute for Planning and Development (IPD) suggests reducing the metro rail fares by 30 per cent, in order for it to have the desired effect as a form of public transport.
Speakers from the IPD came up with the recommendation while addressing a virtual programme on 'Metrorail in the sustainable plan of the capital: Prospective and ways', held on Monday.
They said the Metro rail can indeed play a significant role in the communication and transportation system of Dhaka, as long as the fare is reasonable for all and accessibility of metro stations can be facilitated.
The middle-income people will use mass transport more and as a result, the authorities concerned should reduce the earlier-announced fares by 30 per cent to ensure adequate passengers, reports UNB.
They also demanded 50 per cent discounts for lower-income people, minimum wage earners and students, and to make it free for children up to five years.
They also said that the use of metro rail can be made effective through proper planning, ensuring the access of pedestrians, bus transit, community-based service, CNG autorickshaws, rickshaws, private cars and other vehicles in the metro rail stations.
This year, the government will inaugurate one segment of metro rail project and when the full project is opened next year from Uttara via Agargaon to Motijheel, a huge number of passengers will use it in a short period of time, which will bring a positive change in the transport system, said the speakers.
Prof. Adil Mohammed Khan, executive member of the institute who teaches at the Urban and Regional Planning department of Jahangirnagar University, said "Alongside a huge change in the communication system, use of the land of metro rail and its management will have a significant impact on metro rail. The price of land has been increased due to the metro rail project and new residential projects were also taken."
He also demanded to ensure that people from all walks of life can enjoy the benefit of the metro rail and its public welfare.
IPD also proposed to recover the expenditure of metro rail through 'betterment and land development fees', to make the metro stations commercially effective by building station plazas, to make an integrated corridor development management plan on both sides of the metro corridor and to make a sustainable and inclusive land use management plan covering 500 metres of metro stations.
Akter Mahmud, advisor to the IPD and Prof. of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Jahangirnagar University, said it is necessary to take up an initiative for land consolidation in and around the metro rail stations. He also requested the users of the metro to not glue posters or dump waste here and there on the metro rail.
Ashraful Islam, Rajuk planner, said bus services, walkways and car parking systems must be maintained and developed to make the metro rail more effective.
Redwanur Rahman, a development expert, recommended taking up financial projects after specifying the commercial and advertisement areas of the metro stations.
IPD also suggested introducing a commuter service along Tongi-Airport-Banani-Tejgaon-Kamalapur-Narayanganj rail corridor.
