How simple diversions ease Dhaka city’s gridlock where mega projects fail
Highlights:
- DMP redesigned 69 major intersections since August last year
- Shifting turning points, creating new U-turns made the change
- It implemented at zero cost, using existing barriers, cones
- Average traffic speed doubled to 10 km/h over a year
- Waiting times at key signals cut by two-thirds
For decades, Dhaka has been synonymous with suffocating gridlock. Commuters in the capital have long resigned themselves to spending hours stuck in traffic jams stretching from morning to late at night. Yet a quiet, no-cost intervention by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Traffic Division is showing that smart, small-scale changes can ease congestion where expensive mega projects have failed.
Shajahan Mollah, a private car driver who ferries an office employee from Shyamoli to Azimpur every day, says the difference is striking. "The traffic police made changes to most intersections in Dhaka after 5 August last year. At first, I was annoyed, but now I see the benefit," he told The Business Standard. "Previously, I waited an hour near the Sangsad Bhaban area. Now, by taking a short detour through Manik Miah Avenue, I don't have to stop at any signal at all."
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He added that the changes made at the Science Lab, Kalabagan, and Nilkhet intersections have significantly reduced congestion along his route. "We don't have to wait for hours anymore. The pressure from side roads isn't spilling onto the main road either," he said.
A new approach to old problems
Dhaka, a megacity of more than 20 million people and over 1.2 million registered vehicles, has long struggled with traffic management. According to DMP data, the average speed on Dhaka's roads has plummeted from 21 km/h in 2006 to just 5 km/h in 2024 – one of the slowest in the world.
Over the years, successive governments have invested heavily in flyovers, expressways, and signal systems, yet gridlock persisted. Experts say the city's traffic congestion results in billions of dollars in annual losses due to reduced productivity, wasted fuel, and negative public health outcomes.
Determined to find a new solution, the DMP Traffic Division this year introduced a different strategy: redesigning how vehicles move through existing intersections.
According to the DMP Traffic Wing, the idea of installing diversions to reduce traffic congestion in Dhaka city was introduced by Md Sarwar, additional commissioner of DMP, who served as the acting chief of the traffic wing from January to August this year.
Intersection management is the cheapest, fastest way to improve flow. Bangkok, Manila, and Jakarta all tried similar measures before building larger systems
Instead of pouring concrete, the DMP redesigned how vehicles flow through existing intersections. A pilot project was launched to re-map 69 of Dhaka's busiest junctions.
The changes were simple: closing one or two minor approach roads at four-way intersections, shifting turning points, and adding or relocating U-turns to spots with better sightlines. These tweaks broke up the "gridlock boxes" that typically form at Dhaka's crowded junctions.
In many places, the modifications were temporary and reversible. Traffic police set up movable barriers and used paint or cones rather than permanent construction. Sponsorships from private firms even covered the cost of many physical dividers.
"The traffic situation was vulnerable when I took charge in January," Sarwar told The Business Standard. "Streets were often blocked by demonstrations, encroachment on footpaths, and unregulated vehicles. I realised that controlling traffic manually at every signal is not how it's done anywhere else in the world."
Drawing inspiration from traffic systems abroad, he introduced diversions to improve traffic flow. "If vehicles from four directions get three minutes each, one full cycle takes twelve minutes. By restricting flow to two directions at a time through diversions, we reduced waiting time by half," he explained.
Initially tested at two or three intersections, the approach received positive feedback and was expanded. "So far, we've implemented 69 diversions, and more are coming," Sarwar said. He added that the project has been run at "zero cost" – using existing barriers and cones, with private firms sponsoring physical dividers where needed.
Speed doubled, queues shorter
The results have been swift. The DMP estimates show that the average speed on key corridors has doubled to 10 km/h over a year, while waiting times at some signals have dropped by two-thirds.
"Most vehicles now pass through signals in under three minutes, down from eight to ten before," said Sergeant Sohel Rana, posted at the Bijoy Sarani intersection. "With the diversions, east–west traffic moves in loops, reducing signal time. Cars can clear junctions faster."
Assistant Sub-Inspector Suruj from the Tejgaon Zone said that Karwan Bazar, once a chronic bottleneck, has seen traffic delays fall by more than 50%. "Before, drivers waited 30 minutes or more. Now, traffic flows smoothly and our workload has decreased," he said.
Examples on ground
A TBS visit to more than 15 modified intersections revealed visible improvements.
At the National Parliament area (Aarong Intersection), vehicles travelling from Gabtoli towards New Market and from Dhanmondi towards Gabtoli previously clashed at the signal, causing long traffic jams. Now, Gabtoli-New Market traffic executes a U-turn in front of Parliament House, which frees the main lanes. Only a single signal stop remains for vehicles coming from Farmgate.
Vehicles heading to Shankar from the Dhanmondi 27 Signal once had to cross the intersection, which blocked traffic flows from multiple directions. That approach has been closed; traffic now uses a U-turn at Sobhanbagh Mosque instead.
At the Shahbagh intersection, vehicles bound for Katabon no longer wait at the BIRDEM Hospital signal; they now take a U-turn at the Dhaka Club and proceed onward. This has eliminated a major bottleneck in front of Hotel InterContinental.
The Nilkhet intersection road in the New Market area has been closed, and a U-turn has been added near Eden College, reducing gridlock at the busy New Market police station corner.
At the Bijoy Sarani intersection, one approach has been blocked and a new U-turn has been created near Farmgate, improving traffic flows towards Kazi Nazrul Avenue.
At each site, temporary barricades, cones, and signage are being used to direct drivers to the new routes. "We can remove them if needed," said Sergeant Rana. "People used to get angry, but now they are not. They see the benefit."
Drivers and commuters notice difference
Bus driver Shiplu Mia, who drives the Savar-New Market route, said, "At the Aarong intersection, we used to sit for hours. Now we just take a U-turn and go – no signal delay."
Motorcyclist Mahidul Islam agreed: "Even if there's some jam, you keep moving. That's a relief. More such systems should be introduced."
A commuter near Shahbagh added, "The jams have reduced, but footpaths remain in poor condition. We need safer roads for both vehicles and pedestrians."
Traffic experts caution that while the gains are real, Dhaka's average speed of 10 km/h remains far below global standards. Sustaining improvements will require constant adjustment and better integration with public transport and pedestrian management.
Urban planners say Dhaka can draw lessons from the approach. "Intersection management is the cheapest, fastest way to improve flow," said Road Safety Foundation Executive Director Saidur Rahman. "Bangkok, Manila, and Jakarta all tried similar measures before building larger systems. You need both soft and hard solutions."
