DTCA organized a 7 days Capacity Development Training Program

Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) organized a 7 days Capacity Development Training Program under the project “Mid-term Review and Updating of Revised Strategic Transport Plan for DTCA Area” at the BIAM foundation, Eskaton, Dhaka.

The closing and certificate awarding program was presided over by Ms. Neelima Akhter, Executive Director, DTCA which was held on 3rd February 2024. The honorable Secretary of the Road Transport and Highways Division, Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, A B M Amin Ullah Nuri was the Chief guest of the opening program.

The city is already facing chronic traffic congestion and if we do not take the necessary action now, the situation will further deteriorate. To address the rapid population growth and increasing traffic demand in the DTCA jurisdiction area, a transport master plan was developed in 2005 by the then DTCB known as the Strategic Transport Plan, STP. Later, it was revised in 2016 by DTCA with JICA’s assistance which is known as the Revised Strategic Transport Plan, RSTP.

Several projects were proposed in RSTP to resolve the traffic issues. To update the Revised Strategic Transport Plan, DTCA has taken the project for review and update the strategic transport plan for the DTCA area. The project is being implemented by DTCA with the assistance of ADB using the Technical Assistance Special Fund and Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia & the Pacific. The updated Strategic Transport plan will dictate the future of the Transport system in Dhaka City. This assignment has been awarded to the consortium of OCG- SMEC- BCL-ACE-MSL-PRIMEX. Under the project, for capacity development of DTCA and other relevant organizations, the Transportation Planning training program was arranged.

This was a unique 7 days training program and very few of its kind which include hands-on training on:
• Trip Production/Attraction Model
• Analysis of Household Interview Survey Data
• OD Visualization and Trip Distribution Model
• Highway Assignment using TransCAD software
• Public Transport Assignment using TransCAD software
• Economic Evaluation and Analysis
• OD matrices update methodology using Building Floor Area Data
• Basic Traffic Impact Assessment using TransCAD software

In the training, Microsoft Access and Excel were used for data analysis and visualization, whereas Kepler.gl, qGIS and TransCAD were used for mapping, OD matrix preparation, travel demand modeling, and visualization of the demand models.

The training program was conducted by the TA Consultants, especially Team Leader Tomokazu WACHI, Takatoshi MORIWAKI, Keisuke AKIHO, Pallab Debnath, and other members were involved in arranging fruitful training on transport planning and modeling.

In the training program, 17 participants were from DTCA. Apart from DTCA, delegates from other 13 organizations such as Capital Development Authority (RAJUK), Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Roads and Highways Department (RHD), Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA), Bangladesh Railway (BR), and other organizations have participated in the training.