As the new city bus service under the concept one-company-one-route marks first year of its launch in December, mayors of the two city corporations claim the service is getting popular, though withdrawal of illegal buses from none of the three routes is possible.
Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said the drive against these buses running without route permits on the three routes of Nagar Paribahan under the green cluster could not be conducted due to lack of adequate magistrates.
But Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam said adequate buses were provided for passengers on routes 21, 22 and 26 of Nagar Paribahan. He also said that all other buses and Leguna were running illegally on these routes.
He reiterated the demand that these illegal modes of transports be withdrawn with the help of magistrates.
The two mayors were briefing journalists after a meeting of the special committee on bus route rationalisation (BRR) as chair and co-chair which was held at the Nagar Bhaban's conference room on Tuesday. Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority Executive Director Shabiha Parveen attended the meeting as secretary of the committee. Heads of other designated agencies, transport experts and representatives of bus owners and workers were also present.
During the briefing, the DSCC mayor announced to launch Nagar Paribahan on two more routes -- 24 and 25-- under the same green cluster in April next.
Barrister Taposh also hoped that buses on the route number 23 which could not be launched after announcement earlier would be possible to operate from January 31.
He called upon the entrepreneurs to come forward with new investment importing new buses on the new three routes.
"It is encouraging that after launching on experimental basis, interest of passengers on Nagar Paribahan has been growing," the mayor said claiming 14,000 passengers use the service daily. Mayor Atiqul, however, warned the bus operators of long routes against parking buses on the roadside along with counters in front of the three bus terminals, saying no bus will be allowed to park on the roadside at Mohakhali, Saidabad and Gabtoli after April 1 next.
He said all bus counters and buses must be inside the bus terminals and both DSCC and DNCC have been working to shift the bus terminals outside of Dhaka city. The mayor also said as soon as possible the bus terminals will be shifted outside the capital as some progresses have already been made.
Replying to a question, Barrister Taposh mentioned the numbers of magistrates working under the BRTA, DMP as well as DSCC and DNCC, saying authorities concerned will be strict against the illegal buses and conduct drives against those from next week.
Under the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), the committee on BRR has been working to launch buses under bus route franchise system dividing the city into nine clusters. The pilot bus was launched from Ghatarchar to Jatrabari under the green cluster on December 26. Two more routes under the same clusters - 22 and 26 were also launched.
The route 23 to be launched from January 31 will be from Ghatarchar to Signboard of Chattogram Road through Bosila, Mohammadpur Japan Garden, Shyamoli, Asad Gate, Kalabagan, Science Lab, Shahbagh, Press Club, Rajarbagh, Kamlapur, Jatrabari and Shanir Akhra.
The route 24 and 25 will cover the northern city starting from Ghatarchar to Abdullahpur through Agargaon, Mirpur, Kalshi flyover and also through Asad Gate, Khamar Bari, Jahangir Gate, Mohakhali and Kakoli.
