Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Pedestrians rue state of pavements

Around 99 per cent of the pedestrians of the capital feel that there are not enough pedestrian-friendly pavements in the city, according to the findings of a survey. They also rue a dearth of traffic signs and signals, foot over-bridges, underpasses and zebra crossings as well as poor enforcement by the police. Around 50 per cent of pedestrians feel that the absence of adequate lighting causes pedestrians to be vulnerable to armed robbery, the results of the observation and perception survey noted.
Approximately 39 per cent of respondents said they could not walk to their destinations since footpaths are simply absent. Again, 45 per cent of road space is occupied by illegally parked cars and motorcycles, which prevent pedestrians from reaching their destinations easily and safely.
According to experts, the prime reasons why traffic snarls cannot be reduced are broken and ill-planned pavements, encroachment by illegal structures and parked cars, and piling of construction materials. Another reason why pavements are not pedestrian-friendly is because of badly-advertised zebra crossings. To top it all, there is an acute lack of awareness among pedestrians.
Dr Sarwar Jahan, head of the department of urban and regional planning, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), said there was no alternative to ensuring improved pavement facilities for pedestrians, so that they can easily move from one place to another place on foot. This will ensure that traffic snarls are reduced.
“At present, some 6-7 per cent of the people in the city are using private cars. If the number of such users increases, it will only exert extra pressure on roads, resulting in nagging gridlocks. Then the best option for reaching the destination would be to walk,” he observed.
“We have to make the capital a city that is suitable for pedestrians. As we have schools, shops and markets in all areas, we can link the establishments through the network of pavements so that pedestrians can commute easily without using vehicles. This will reduce the tendency among vehicle owners to use their vehicles for commuting even to nearby localities,” he added.
“Unfortunately, such pavements have not been arranged. The government has not taken proper initiatives. If we can achieve success in promoting use of pavements through a pilot project, it can be replicated in other places,” he suggested.
Dhaka city needs a mega plan to integrate all transport facilities so that people can get optimum benefits from them, he said, adding, “If the government is committed to ensuring better facilities for pedestrians and traffic movements, it is possible to do so.”
Different organisations are demanding pedestrian-friendly and safe pavements for the overwhelming majority — 95 per cent — of the population of the capital.
Even the foot over-bridges create great obstacles for women, elderly people and persons with disabilities (PWDs). About 15 per cent of the total population are PWDs, who cannot use the foot over-bridges, but authorities are constructing more foot over-bridges with the intention of ensuring pedestrian safety.
Developed countries have introduced zebra crossings for pedestrians and discourage foot over-bridges for crossing roads. Dr Sarwar Jahan said, “Foot over-bridges are not found in developed countries. Rather, they have placed emphasis on pavements and zebra crossings. The authorities should look into the matter so that all people, irrespective of their physical condition, can use pavements and zebra crossings.” Nagorik Adhikar Sangrakkhan Forum president Hafizur Rahman Moyna said, “The government is taking about expensive projects such as flyovers and elevated expressways for eradicating traffic snarls. But such projects would provide facilities only to those people who use private cars.”
The government is not taking proper initiatives to ensure safe and smooth use of pavements for 98 per cent of the pedestrians, he said.
Dr ATM Nurul Amin, professor of environmental science and management of North South University, said, “Diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, excessive weight, obesity and cardiac diseases are rising day by day. If a person walks for 30 minutes to one hour per day, it will help in combating such diseases.”
“Around 76 per cent of all communication takes place within a distance of five kilometres. Pedestrians seek good pavements so that they can walk to their destinations. If there is a proper environment for walking, pedestrians would not use vehicles for travelling short distances and it would also help improve public health and reduce traffic snarls,” he added.
Abdul Mannan, who has a business at Karwar Bazar and lives at Monipuripara at Farmgate, said, “As the pavements have not been properly constructed, I go to my business centre by bus. The pavements have either been illegally occupied or are damaged, which prevents pedestrians from walking with ease. If I get pavements which are friendly to pedestrians, I could walk to my destination.”
“If we get pavements suitable for walking, it would help us cut our travelling costs as well as keep ourselves healthy,” said Jahanara Begum, a school teacher of Lalmatia area.
Well-constructed pavements can help thousands of garment workers and school-going children as well as businessmen and office-goers reach their destinations easily and safely and help cut their travelling costs, Dr Sarwar Jahan said. The government should formulate pedestrian-friendly policies and allocate sufficient budgetary resources so that suitable pavements can be offered to pedestrians, he added.
“It is necessary to construct wide pavements, remove barriers from the pavements, restrict illegal parking of cars through imposition of fines, and ensure that there are enough zebra crossings and proper traffic signs and signals for pedestrians. Building awareness among pedestrians is also very important to encourage walking,” he said.

-With The Independent input

Related News

Motorcycle sales tumble to seven-year low

Mahfuz Ullah Babu Rising costs, consumers’ weakening purchasing capacity, and adverse policy treatments blamed The hope of manufacturers for a scaled-up motorcycle market – to reach a million units a year by 2027 – now seems to be fading away. The economic slowdown, coupled with a sharp rise in costs and selling prices, has instead ... Read more

Metro rail to begin operations on Fridays too

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) is set to launch metro rail services on Fridays soon. Currently, the services are closed on Fridays. MAN Siddique, managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited, told media on Monday that the company started preparatory work on the day to start services on ... Read more

Academic activities in all public universities in Bangladesh remain stalled

Shahin Akhter Amid the academic activities coming to a near halt in most public universities triggered by a wave of resignation from top officials, the Secondary and Higher Education Division on Thursday in an order asked the universities tackling the situation to allow a senior teacher to carry out the administrative and finance related tasks ... Read more

Sundarbans to reopen for fishers, tourists from Sept 1

News Desk : dhakamirror.com After nearly three months of closure, the Forest Department will reopen the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO world heritage site from September 1 (Sunday). From that day, fishermen and tourists will be able to enter the world’s largest mangrove forest after obtaining a permit from the Department ... Read more

Govt decreases fuel prices

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The government reduced octane and petrol prices by Tk6 per litre, according to a press release by the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources issued today (31 August). Meanwhile, the price of diesel has been reduced by Tk1.25 per litre. Starting tomorrow (1 September), the new price for octane will ... Read more

All educational institutions to reopen on 18 August

News Desk : dhakamirror.com All educational institutions under the education ministry have been instructed to resume academic activities from Sunday, August 18, 2024. The announcement was made through an office order issued by the ministry on Thursday. The order said that following the approval of the chief adviser the educational institutions were instructed to take ... Read more

Interim govt led by Dr Yunus sworn in

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Nobel Peace Prize winner and globally acclaimed economist Professor Muhammad Yunus was sworn-in as the chief adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh Thursday evening (8 August). President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath of office to the 17-member interim government. Leaders of various political parties including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Jatiyo Party, Krishak ... Read more

Dr Yunus to lead the interim government

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus will be the chief adviser of the interim government, said a press release of Bangabhaban yesterday. The decision came after a meeting on the formation of the interim government between key organisers of the anti-discriminatory movement and President Mohammed Shahabuddin. The heads of the three armed ... Read more

Mainul Islam made new IGP

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The government on Tuesday appointed Traffic and Driving School commandant Md Moinul Islam as the new inspector general of police. Public Security Division of the home ministry issued a gazette notification in this regard on Tuesday. The decision came a day after the fall of Sheikh Hasina government amid mass uprising ... Read more

Curfew to end on Tuesday morning; all offices, educational institutions set to open

News Desk : dhakamirror.com An ongoing curfew will be in effect from Monday midnight until 6am on Tuesday, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate. Starting Tuesday morning, all government, semi-government, autonomous, semi-autonomous, private institutions, factories, schools, colleges, madrasas, universities and all educational institutions in Bangladesh will remain open, a press release of the ISPR ... Read more

Internet likely to face disruption for 12 hours today

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Internet connectivity in Bangladesh will face partial disruption for 12 hours from this morning because of maintenance of 1st submarine cable, said Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC (BSCPLC) in a press release. The statement said from 6:01 am to 6:00 pm, the consortium has scheduled maintenance for a land cable fault near ... Read more

Chess Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman passes away

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman passed away at a hospital in the city after suffering a heart attack during the 12th round game of the ongoing National Chess Championship at the Chess Federation on Friday. Zia bhai is no more. He breathed his last at around 6:00pm at Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital,’ confirmed ... Read more

Ending GPA-5 era, SSC results to be published with English letter grades

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams will no longer be evaluated under the Grade Point Average 1-5 scale but rather be graded with English letters. A meeting of the National Curriculum Coordination Committee with the Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury approved the new evaluation framework on Monday (1 July). “There are ... Read more

Over 1.04 crore animals sacrificed on Eid-ul-Adha this year

News Desk : dhakamirror.com A total of 1,04,08,918 animals were sacrificed across the country on the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Azha this year. As many as 3, 67, 106 more animals were slaughtered this year compared to previous year, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock said in a press release on Tuesday. This year the ... Read more

9am-5pm office time to resume from Wednesday

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The public offices across Bangladesh are set to go back to old office timing from 9:00am to 5:00pm with Fridays and Saturdays being the weekly holidays as usual from Wednesday. The cabinet in its weekly meeting on June 3 decided restoring the old office timing between 9:00am and 5:00pm on weekdays ... Read more

5 magnitude earthquake jolts parts of Bangladesh

News Desk : dhakamirror.com A magnitude 5 earthquake jolted a large part of the country on Sunday (2 June) afternoon., including Dhaka. The quake struck at 2:44pm from a depth of about 110km, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, and was centred in the Mawlaik area of Myanmar, 441 km southeast of Dhaka. The quake ... Read more

Over 2cr to be fed as daylong Vitamin ‘A’ plus campaign begins

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The National Vitamin A-plus campaign is being conducted with a target to feed the capsules to over 2.22 crore children, aged between six months and 59 months. The campaign started at 8am on Saturday (June 1) and will continue till 4pm. Feeding Vitamin A capsules prevents blindness in children, ensures normal ... Read more

Postponed notice fake, HSC exams on June 30 as per schedule

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent exams will be held on time as per previous announcement, beginning on 30 June. The routine deferring the exams for a month that is making rounds in social media, is fake, the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka said on Saturday. A circular ... Read more

3 month-long ban on fishing, tourism in Sundarbans begins

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The forest department has imposed this three-month ban on fishing and tourism in the Sundarbans. Local communities, including fishermen, wood and honey collectors, who depend on the Sundarbans for their livelihoods, are concerned about a three-month ban on all activities in the forest starting Saturday. The restriction applies to visitors, including ... Read more

Appellate Division upholds HC verdict on DU teacher Samia’s demotion

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Appellate Division today (26 May) upheld the judgement of the High Court which declared illegal the demotion order of Dhaka University faculty Samia Rahman on charges of plagiarism. A four-member appellate bench headed by senior judge M Enayetur Rahim of the Appellate Division rejected the appeal of DU as invalid. ... Read more