No city worldwide has managed to control traffic congestion solely through infrastructure development. Effective traffic management requires strategic policy decisions at the planning level. Despite achieving improved mobility over the past two decades, economic benefits remain limited due to fragmented planning, which hampers the full potential of major projects.
Implementing a complete network concept is crucial when undertaking projects. I believe that reforming the transportation sector should begin with strengthening the Planning Commission's capacity by incorporating highly qualified professional planners capable of thorough project analysis and long-term planning. Additionally, the timelines for implementing nationally significant infrastructure projects should be realistic.
To maximise infrastructure performance, operational efficiency must be enhanced. There are instances where expensive highways deteriorate rapidly due to construction methods not being climate-resilient and substandard building materials. Issues such as unnecessary political projects, delays in project completion, and lack of separate maintenance allocations despite budget provisions for road construction contribute to these problems. Furthermore, political influence, contractor incompetence, and inadequate oversight by implementing agencies lead to higher costs and longer durations for road construction and maintenance.
Constructing flyovers alone does not alleviate traffic congestion, especially when grade-separated interchanges are absent, leading to significant congestion at entry and exit points. Breaking this cycle requires decisive action. Incorporating advanced technologies such as multimodal intelligent transport systems, artificial intelligence, automated electronic toll collection, structural health monitoring, overload control, and unauthorised vehicle access management is essential to keep pace with modern advancements. Continuous improvement in infrastructure quality is necessary.
Infrastructure should integrate safety, sustainable solutions, and self-regulating controls. Establishing a central traffic management system is necessary for scientifically forecasting congestion. When developing expressway networks, focus should be on creating new, fully access-controlled, uninterrupted high-speed arterial expressways with interchanges, without disrupting existing road networks. India's Golden Quadrilateral network serves as an excellent example in this regard.
The persistent neglect of the railway sector has led to frequent accidents, primarily due to shortages of skilled personnel, modern equipment, and inconsistent signalling systems. Typically, after an accident, the railway authority forms an investigation committee, which submits a report; however, the public remains unaware of its contents, and accountability is seldom enforced. This longstanding issue needs to be addressed. Despite expanding rail lines, many trains still operate with outdated engines and carriages, some exceeding their service life. The railway network employs varied signalling systems, including computer-based interlocking, manual interlocking, and even British-era systems, compromising operational safety and occasionally leading to incidents where two trains occupy the same track.
To establish a sustainable railway network, central locomotive factories and carriage and wagon workshops must be revitalised, modernised, and made contemporarily relevant. Regular maintenance of new rolling stock (locomotives, carriages, wagons), recruitment of skilled technicians, and provision of modern equipment are essential. Technicians should receive regular training, both domestically and internationally. Additionally, smart personnel should be appointed to efficiently manage modern stations integrated into the new railway network. Ensuring a knowledgeable and accountable workforce can rapidly usher the country's railway operations and management into a golden era. As metro lines expand throughout the city like a spider's web, they will not only facilitate passenger movement but also create significant revenue opportunities for the railway through multimodal hubs.
Globally, inland waterways are the preferred mode for transporting goods; however, the situation differs in our country. Waterways offer the most cost-effective means of goods transport, yet we have failed to adequately integrate them with road networks. Dredging rivers alone is insufficient for goods transportation; our neglect of the inland waterway network and its integration has led to deterioration. Most vessels lack adequate safety measures, and safety protocols are often disregarded. Moreover, crew members are generally untrained in using safety equipment, resulting in risky operations that endanger passengers. Consequently, both goods and passenger transport via waterways are declining. Many launches and ferries operating on these routes lack fitness certifications, and smaller vessels often remain unregistered, precluding formal discussions on their fitness. Prioritising the registration of these vessels is essential to facilitate modernisation, technology integration, and regulated operations.
In infrastructure development, particularly flyovers, roads, and expressways, land use considerations are often overlooked. Failure to regulate land use can render well-constructed roads hazardous within four to five years. The absence of stringent land use policies contributes to this issue. A practical approach involves acquiring additional land, constructing roads along the outer boundaries, and utilising the central unused space as a wide median. This design reduces the risk of head-on collisions and serves as a natural drainage system, preventing water accumulation that could damage the road structure.
I believe that, alongside road development, potential-rich rail and waterways should be given equal importance, bringing all modes of transportation under a unified national master plan. In conclusion, achieving a sustainable transportation system with low maintenance costs necessitates extensive research. Although the Roads and Highways Department has a road research laboratory, it lacks regular and qualified researchers. Therefore, to develop sustainable road infrastructure, competent researchers should be appointed, and like in other developed countries, 1-2% of project funds should be allocated for research. Similarly, the railway sector should implement a uniform and modern signalling system and establish a rail institute to develop skilled and smart personnel. Allocating funds from railway infrastructure projects for research will further invigorate this sector.
Md. Hadiuzzaman, Communication Expert and Professor, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
BDST: 1247 HRS, JAN 13, 2025
