Dhaka: A day after the new automatic traffic signalling system’s collapse that caused immense suffering to commuters, both the Dhaka city corporation authorities and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Tuesday engaged in blame-game as to who was responsible for the failure and the ensuing traffic chaos.

Sources at both Dhaka North City Corporation and Dhaka South City Corporation said they had installed the automatic signalling system with solar panels at 62 intersections across the city, but only started operating it at 12 intersections from Shahbagh to Kakoli on trial basis from last Friday.

The signals ran smoothly on Friday and Saturday as traffic flow was light due to weekly holidays, but collapsed on Monday as traffic picked up. 

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) authorities said the collapse was caused by the lack of a central command centre to control the signalling system.

But the city corporation authorities say it was not possible to set-up a central command centre due to lack of funds.

Contacted, Project Director of Clean Air Sustainable Environment (CASE) of Dhaka City Corporations Shihab Ullah confirmed that the automatic signalling systems at 12 intersections were running on test basis following consultations with the Traffic Department of DMP from Friday.

He believes the reason for the collapse is that it was implemented at only 12 intersections and not all 62.

‘All of the modern cities of the world, except Dhaka City, have automatic signalling system. Collectively, we will improve the signalling system after consulting with all other stakeholders,’ Shihab said.

Besides, a consultant from India has been appointed for improving the signalling system. He will be joining soon, the CASE project director said.

Asked why they had not installed a central command centre to control the timing system, he said it would cost more than Tk 100crore.

‘When we start the automatic signalling systems at all 62 intersections after properly improving the system, the traffic control system will be improved in the city,’ Shihab hoped.

He, however, noted that the volume of actual traffic flow is three times the existing capacity of our city streets, which have a capacity of bearing around three lakhs vehicles. But more than nine lakh vehicles are plying these streets, he added.

When DMP Commissioner Assaduzzaman Miah’s attention was drawn to the failed trial, he said the city corporations installed the system without setting up a central command centre, and that was to blame for it.

It is not possible to adjust the countdown timers, depending on the traffic volume, in the existing manual system, the DMP Commissioner said.

Traffic chaos will be created due to lack of a central command, he added.