The Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation will run 14 buses on the Mirpur-Azimpur route on a trial basis to ferry schoolchildren and accompanying guardians from January 15.
The communications minister, Syed Abul Hossain, at a briefing after a meeting at the secretariat on Thursday morning, said the buses would run between 6:00am and 9:00am to ferry students to schools while between 11:00am and 3:00pm to ferry them back.
Officials from all the agencies concerned such as the Road Transport Corporation, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, Dhaka City Corporation and Dhaka Metropolitan Police attended the meeting.
The fare has been set at Tk 1.5 a kilometre but the minimum fare would be Tk 5 and the maximum Tk 18. Students will be able to buy half-yearly tickets. The fare chart has been sent to all the schools along the route.
A committee composed of representatives of all the agencies concerned, headed by additional secretary of the communication ministry, will look into the running of the pilot programme, the minister said.
The decision on launching the bus service was made after a survey had been conducted among students of 31 educational institutions located on the route.
Communications ministry official at the secretariat meeting said the route would have 33 stoppages including the starting point at Mirpur 12 and the end at Azimpur.
The city corporation has already renovated sheds at 21 stoppages and will soon complete construction of sheds in 12 other places, the officials said.
The buses will start from near the BRTC bus stand at Pallabi and will touch at Mirpur 11, Mirpur 10, Mirpur 2, Darus Salam near the Paikpara Model Academy, Kalyanpur Mizan Tower, Shaymali, College Gate, Dhanmondi Government Boys’ High School, Hotel Nid Mahal, Kalabagan staff quarters, opposite Dhaka College and Home Economics College before finally stopping at BANBEIS.
The communications minister at the briefing said the Dhaka Metropolitan Police will take necessary measures to giving priority to school buses on the route.
The Road Transport Corporation has taken steps such as announcement of the move on television and radio, and distribution of leaflets to let students and their guardians know of the service.
Abul Hosain said the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, had asked for the introduction of BRTC school bus service in the capital to minimise traffic congestion and provide safe and economic travel students.
The number of buses will gradually be increased on the route, he added.
The minister also said 100 BRTC buses were on city roads and 175 more buses would be added to the feet in two months.
The government will buy 300 double-deckers, 50 articulated buses and 100 other buses, which are expected to reach by June, he added.
