Dhaka: Terming the proposal for introducing a separate lane for VIPs in the capital ‘illogical, unethical and unacceptable’, National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways (NCPSRR) on Tuesday demanded that the government withdraw it.

NCPSRR president Mohammad Shahid Mia and general secretary Ashis Kumar Dey made the demand in a joint statement.

The Cabinet Division has proposed introducing a separate ‘emergency lane’ for movement of Very Important Persons (VIPs), police vehicles, ambulances and vehicles of other emergency services.

Due to unplanned urbanisation and industrialisation and lack of proper management by the authorities concerned, the capital’s gridlock is turning intolerable day by day, the statement said, adding that if a separate lane is made for a certain group of people, both class discrimination and public sufferings will be increased many times which is not expected from the state.

The national committee thinks a circular waterway around Dhaka should be made effective and people-friendly steps should be taken to lessen personal and small cars and encouraging import of big buses were needed to ease traffic congestion and severe air pollution in the city and reduce dependency on roads in the capital.