So are you suggesting that govt should raise taxes for cars? The recent tax hikes in car imports have hit the growing middle class the highest and as usual the rich and corrupt awami league mp's has been able to manage tax free cars. I mean, think about the consequences, first you decide to get rid of the rickshaw because it causes traffic than you take car taxes to absurd levels where the middle income groups can't even afford to buy a car. You are stuck in a dilemma now, aren't you? the most suitable solution in this scenario is not to have an economy growing at all so the middle income can never grow let alone buy a car. And this crazy tax hikes and other regulations is the single most reason why the middle income leaves the country as soon as possible. Then you have the govt spending millions of dollars on loans only in certain areas of Dhaka, where people migrate in masses and you wander why there is so much traffic.
I think the most effective measure to deregulate the bus system, in other words, let the simple demand and supply take care of the bus transportation system. Off course, we need to make sure that no one able to form a monopoly here, so we should let a few other private companies set up the bus system so there is competition and the govt does not need to take care of the price hikes. In that way, you will have more efficient, better looking and more civilised buses.
We should let the market decide when it wants to get rid off rickshaws, in other words, when people have more efficient means of earning money, they will stop driving rickshaws as I'm pretty confident that it was never their first choice anyways. And, offcourse we need a free and fair tax system where the lower middle class/middle class(perhaps the most important sector) remains protected as they contribute the most to the economy.
Anyways, I just think getting rid of rickshaws and increasing car taxes to absurd levels is not the right way to approach this traffic problem and probably has adverse effects.
Well it seems there are some confusions. No, actually I don't think its a good Idea to increase tax on cars even more then it is the astronomical figures they have reached recently. Almost 150-300% of their introductory price,
be it New or reconditioned. Even if someone buys a car from auctions at 100$ the Tax would still account the base price of the introductory model.
Eg- Mazda RX-8 is 1300(140% duty) cc and someone wins an auction for 7lacs but still due to yellow book the price ends up at 24-30 lacs retail.
Dhakas traffic chaos leaves many to leave their car at home during peak hours. The option for medium distance trips are compensated by Rickshaws because
1) Walkways have become crappy
2)CNG three wheelers are not interested on short trips
3)Bus rides are hell except for BRTC ones.
During traffic hours I never drive out rather opt for
secondary options, such as from Lalmatia to Dhanmondi.
Now if someone is stuck in Mohakhali and wants to avoid BUS then he'd be in deep sh*t. The flyover over there wouldn account for anything. Thats why its better to take the car in those routes. Then think about someone who doesn't have any car stuck around the expressways.
None of the members over here seems to have the
basic understandings of crowd transport mechanism
in macro scales. There were more rickshaws in the streets
10 yrs ago then now but did the traffic jam get any better with more cars? No, its worse now far worse.
Now more flyovers would certainly diffuse car traffic
but for people who doesn't have any car, what would they do? Play Marathon?
Thats why what we need is MRT in the shortest amount of time, restrict rickshaws in cluster areas so they avoid the high ways and provide trips between stations in adjacent locations. Take the number down to atleast 50% of what it is now.
BRT(Bus Rapid Transport) is another viable option and last week
there was a presentation from Traffic analysts in Pan Pacific.
