Dhaka North goes for smart traffic boxes to enhance pedestrian mobility
Urban planners raise concerns about sustainability and aesthetics of this solution
Highlights:
- Elevated design to minimise foot traffic disruption
- Floor area ranging from 200 to 300 square feet
- Air conditioning, restroom, washroom
- Estimated cost per box Tk 30 lakh
- Projected completion target June 2024
Acknowledging the growing congestion caused by traditional traffic police boxes on footpaths and roads, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has announced a plan to construct five elevated smart traffic police boxes at key intersections.
These modern facilities will offer improved amenities for officers while minimising disruption in pedestrian flow.
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The boxes, measuring 200-300 square feet and costing approximately Tk30 lakh each, will be equipped with modern amenities and air-conditioning.
However, urban planners have raised concerns about the sustainability and aesthetics of this solution.
Professor Akter Mahmud of Urban and Regional Planning at Jahangirnagar University said these boxes could further detract from the city's beauty and create accessibility issues for traffic police officers.
"A collaborative approach involving the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Traffic Department, city corporations, and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha to identify optimal locations for police boxes is required to solve the problem," he said.
He proposes exploring partnerships with private landowners, offering an increased floor area ratio in exchange for designated spaces for police offices.
Meanwhile, the DNCC has already announced a tender for constructing these smart boxes, the submission deadline for tenders being 15 February. Construction is expected to be completed by June this year.
Nayeem Rayhan Khan, DNCC Executive Engineer (Traffic Engineering Circle), confirmed ongoing consultations with DMP for the project to The Business Standard.
"The elevated design aims to minimise disruption to pedestrians and traffic. The boxes will offer amenities like washrooms and monitoring facilities, with customisable interiors for DMP use. The compilation target is June," he said.
The Bangladesh Bridge Authority's recently installed elevated box at Farmgate serves as a model for the DNCC's proposed construction of the smart traffic police boxes.
The city corporation has identified five initial locations for the elevated boxes - Mohammadpur Bus Stand, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital intersection, Khamarbari intersection, Tejgaon's Love Road intersection, and Jahangir Gate.
The DMP Traffic Department supports the initiative but emphasises the need for collaboration in design and construction. The department has expressed concerns regarding the size and location of the Farmgate box.
It recommends a tailoring of the box size, design, and services at specific locations, considering factors like traffic flow, personnel needs and facilities for female officers.
Md Munibur Rahman, Additional Police Commissioner (Traffic), commended the city corporation's initiative but reiterated the DMP's need for involvement in design decisions.
"We have talked to the authorities about planning coordination. Location-specific requirements, including traffic patterns, personnel numbers, and gender-neutral facilities are required to ensure the boxes' effectiveness," he added.
Notably, several traffic police boxes obstructing pedestrian walkways were recently removed by the North and South City Corporations. Both city mayors have declared a zero-tolerance policy for unauthorised box construction on footpaths and roads.
