Much-vaunted single-company bus service finally kick-starts on Ghatarchar-Katchpur route in Dhaka on 26 although the piloting still faces challenges to meet compliance with bus-route-franchise (BRF) paradigm.
A company styled 'Dhaka Nagar Paribahan', selected from the green cluster out of planned six clusters, will operate a fleet of 50 buses, including 30 of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation, on the inaugural day as earlier-announced 120 buses would not be ready by then.
While briefing journalists on the launch after the 20th meeting of the special committee on bus-route rationalisation (BRR) at Nagar Bhaban on Sunday, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh sought cooperation from all quarters, including bus owners and workers, in making the new bus service a success for bringing discipline in the city's transportation system.
"In greater interest, I call upon all bus operators and workers including passengers to cooperate in launching the new bus service in the city as initially all including passengers may face many problems to make it successful," he said, adding that the inauguration of the BRF service is to mark the golden jubilee of victory celebration.
The mayor, who was the chairman of the 10-member committee formed in 2018 , however, announced suspension of all other buses on the pilot route from the inaugural day, including those running without route permit, although 50 buses would not be enough to meet the passenger demand.
Tapos, who is a barrister by profession, announced that none of 1644 buses identified running without route permit will be found in the city and said 29 buses already seized were sent to dumping station for permanently scrapping.
But, he says, buses to be entering on the pilot route from other green-cluster routes will gradually be integrated with it in next few months, directing Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) to complete integration work with the pilot route by January 21.
In the next two months, the BRF service on the pilot route will be running to full capacity, the mayor added.
Responding to a question about facing resistance from other city bus operators, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam also urged all to cooperate in making the new endeavour in the transport system a success.
"This town is for all. Please cooperate to make the city livable," the mayor, who was in the meeting as co-chair, added.
The government started working on introducing BRF system in the city by bus route rationalisation (BRR) as per recommendation from the Strategic Transport Plan during the time of Mayor Annisul Haque in 2016.
