Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) today unveiled a 20-year master plan for an integrated transport network across greater Dhaka, proposing eight metro rail lines, two bus rapid transit (BRT) lines, three ring roads, six expressways and 21 multimodal transport hubs.
The Strategic Transport Plan (STP) 2026-2045 was presented at a discussion meeting on the Multimodal Transport Plan for Dhaka Metropolitan at the DTCA headquarters in Dhaka.
It also proposed eight radial roads and projects that the metro rail network will expand from 19.8 kilometres in 2023 to 72.2km by 2030, 137.8km by 2035 and 268.5km by 2045.
Speakers at the meeting said the plan’s success would depend largely on reducing reliance on private vehicles and restoring public confidence in mass transport.
According to figures presented at the meeting, public transport’s share of daily trips fell from 22.8 percent in 2014 to 8.9 percent in 2023, while the use of motorcycles, three-wheelers and private cars increased significantly during the same period.
As a feeder service for the metro rail network, the DTCA plans to develop five monorail corridors spanning around 79.4km.
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) will conduct a preliminary feasibility study. The preferred corridor is expected to be selected within three months, while the full feasibility study is scheduled to be completed within six months.
The plan proposes three ring roads to divert through-traffic from central Dhaka; the inner, middle and outer ring roads would measure approximately 88.8km, 132.8km and 178km respectively.
Roads and Highways Department, Bangladesh Bridge Authority and the two Dhaka city corporations would be among the implementing agencies.
The plan also includes a circular waterway between Sadarghat and Ashulia, with several landing stations.
The meeting also reviewed the proposed relocation of four inter-district bus terminals at Mohakhali, Gabtoli, Sayedabad and Fulbaria to the outskirts of Dhaka.
A pre-feasibility study identified 10 potential locations, of which four were selected.
According to the presentation, temporary and permanent depots are also being developed at Hemayetpur, Kanchpur, Baghair, Madanpur and Purbachal.
Under the bus route rationalisation programme, the DTCA has proposed 32 primary routes and 25 circular feeder routes. Although the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority has approved 418 bus routes, a survey found that only 98 are currently in operation.
Around 7,000 to 7,500 buses now carry an estimated 37 lakh to 38 lakh passengers across Dhaka every day. The authorities aim to replace the fragmented and overlapping route network with company-based operations.
The meeting was told that more than 19.37 lakh passengers now use the Rapid Pass smart card, while the metro rail alone records around 70 lakh smart-card journeys each month.
More than Tk 685 crore has been loaded onto the cards, while around Tk 637.17 crore has been collected in fares. As of June, 65.73 percent of metro rail passengers were using Rapid Pass or MRT Pass cards. Online recharge facilities were introduced in November last year.
DTCA is also preparing a Tk 2,482 crore project to introduce 400 electric buses under the Bangladesh Clean Air Project. The scheme, backed by a $175 million World Bank credit, is scheduled to run from September this year until August 2031.
The electric buses would be operated by companies under a franchise system with the stated aims of improving services and reducing transport emissions.
The plan also proposes multimodal transport hubs at Gabtoli, Kamalapur and the airport to integrate metro rail, bus, railway, waterway and air transport services.
DTCA Executive Director Mohammad Mosiur Rahman chaired the meeting.
Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Bijon Kanti Sarkar, MP Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary Mohammad Ziaul Haq, Bridges Division Secretary Mohammad Abdur Rouf, and Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed were also present at the meeting.