The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has sought the help of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) to develop a model for operating the bus-based mass transport service in the city.
The RHD is implementing the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) North, the first-ever dedicated bus corridor, from Joydevpur to Airport railway station, which is expected to ferry more than 20,000 passengers in an hour.
Officials said the BUET will guide the project office to get suitable buses for the 20.1 kilometre BRT line along with the operational design.
"We have now started the procedure to purchase buses for the BRT line, as it would take time to complete the process," said an official.
The BUET will provide consultancy to develop operational design and business model for the project titled 'Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport', he said.
The RHD along with the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) and the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) is developing the corridor under which 25 BRT stations, a depot in Gazipur, two terminals (one in Gazipur and another at the airport end) and six overpasses will be built.
Improvement of 56 km link road, development of 20.5 km footpath and 24 km storm drainage facility and construction of 10 kitchen markets will also be carried out under the project.
The BBA is assigned to build 4.5km elevated roadway for the BRT from Uttara to Cherag Ali market and a 12-lane Tongi Bridge.
Though the corridor is now at the construction stage under four packages since 2016, the project office remained far behind the schedule for completion of the project, sources said.
The BBA's progress is much behind the RHD and LGED, they added.
So, in the meantime, the RHD took the initiative to appoint BUET to get recommendations on the operational design and business model, the sources said.
The official said time interval and bus standards are important for successful running of the BRT.
smunima@yahoo.com