The government on Thursday sought expression of interest from the international investors to construction an elevated expressway in the capital which some experts believe would be less viable in solving the city’s nagging traffic problems. Transport experts and city planners preferred dedicate bus services, more space for the pedestrians and creation of a circular waterway to elevated expressway and metro rail to solve the city’s nightmarish traffic snarls.

They pointed out that such infrastructure projects proved to be a huge burden for countries like Thailand and India as they had to provide subsidy from the public exchequer to build and operate those. The present government is defying the experts’ suggestions and approved at least two costly city-based transport infrastructure projects at a meeting last month. The latest expression of interest sought by bridge division under the ministry of communication is part of a plan to build 32.5 kilometers long or more elevated highways at a proposed cost of $2.0 billion.

International investors have been asked to submit their proposals stating their experiences and requisite qualifications in financing and construction of expressways, toll roads and bridges on a BOOT (Built, Own, Operate and Transfer), BOT (Built, Operate and Transfer) and PPP (Public Private Partnership) basis with combined value of not less than $500 million over the last 12 years. They will have to submit their expression of interest by January 20, 2010. The pre-qualified bidders will finally be selected through an international competitive bidding process from a pool of applicants who will meet the criteria set forth in the pre-qualification document.

The main responsibilities of the investors would be to formulate a design and an execution strategy including fixation of usage rates so that public transports and high-occupancy vehicles (HOV) would feel encouraged to use it. The elevated expressway that will start from Uttara will reach Sonargaon through Zia Internatianl Airpoprt, Jahanagir Gate and Farmgate. It will be spilt into two parts from Sonargoan with main part traveling through Mogbazar, Malibagh, Kamalapur, Saidabad, Zatrabari to end up at Sanir Akhra. The other spilt will reach Gulistan from Sonargaon through Kataban and Fulbaria. Bridge division officials said the express highway help ease the nagging traffic problem in the city whose existing population of 13 million will double in next 20 years.

Professor Dr Sarwar Jahan of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology said express elevated highways would not be able to reduce traffic congestion in Dhaka. The head of urban and regional planning department of BUET observed that these projects would not be financially viable for an economy like us. ‘These projects will eventually be a burden for the government,’ he said while talking to New Age. Dr Mahbubul Bari, an international transport expert who is now working as communication adviser in Rwanda, had told a seminar that Strategic Transport Plan which suggested construction of express highway and metro rail was flawed.

The government should have given the pedestrians first priority and second and third priority should be for by-cycle and non-motorised rickshaws as these modes of transports are fuel-free, zero emission of smoke and occupy very small space on the road. The fourth priority has to be given to public transports including buses, Bari pointed out.

-New Age