A modern automatic traffic signal system was inaugurated on a pilot basis at Shahbagh intersection in the capital on Thursday as part of an initiative to modernise traffic management and reduce congestion.
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Abdus Salam formally inaugurated the system as the chief guest.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Salam said severe traffic congestion is one of the major problems facing the capital, wasting valuable working hours of millions of city dwellers every day.
He said a special pilot project had been undertaken to make vehicular movement more orderly and efficient through a technology-based automatic traffic signal system.
Initially, the modern signal system is being implemented at 20 important intersections, he said.
The system has been installed with technical assistance from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) as part of a special initiative of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Under the DSCC, the pilot system has been installed at eight important intersections—Banglamotor, InterContinental Dhaka, Minto Road, Kakrail crossing, Matsya Bhaban, Kadam Chattar, Shikkha Bhaban and Shahbagh.
The DSCC administrator said the initiative will be expanded further, with plans to introduce the modern signal system at another 50 important intersections across Dhaka within the next few months.
Of these, the system will be introduced at 22 more intersections under the DSCC soon, he added.
Urging motorists and pedestrians to strictly follow traffic rules, Salam said traffic police will no longer need to manually control signals at intersections once the automatic system becomes fully operational.
He also called for an end to illegal roadside parking and urged drivers and pedestrians to refrain from violating traffic laws and signals.
DSCC Chief Waste Management Officer Air Commodore Md Mahbubur Rahman Talukder, Chief Engineer Nur Azizur Rahman, Prof Dr Moazzem Hossain and Dr Muhammad Hadiuzzaman of BUET, and Additional Commissioner (Traffic) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Mohammad Anisur Rahman, among others, attended the programme.
