An urban design project exhibition titled “Life Line for Dhaka (Integrating Metro Rail Station with Urban Fabric)”, organised by Department of Architecture, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) ended yesterday at La Galerie,  Alliance Française de Dhaka.

Md. Kaikobad Hossain, Director, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd. inaugurated the exhibition held on January 6.

Megacity Dhaka has been suffering from its worst traffic congestions in the last two decades. Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), with a combination of train and bus, is suggested to be the most popular solution to support the masses of Dhaka. Remarkable changes are expected to come in the urban life of Dhaka with the completion of ongoing Dhaka Metro Rail Project. Success of such a system depends not only on the technological solutions; necessary adjustments are also needed in the built environment. Ensuring accessibility as well as connectivity is essential. Within this system, MRT stations play a major role. On the other hand, impact of the newly-introduced transportation infrastructure on the city fabric, particularly in closer proximity to the station, might be tremendous. If properly handled, such a project will work like a life line to solve Dhaka's tremendous traffic problem.

In response to the above issues, Department of Architecture (Level-4, Term-I, Design Studio VII) of BUET exercised a design project. The prime concern of the project was to enhance accessibility as well as connectivity, land use integration with transport infrastructure and seamless pedestrian interconnection within transit centre to solve the last mile problem. This project exhibition shed light on the long-felt need of the city dwellers and policy makers.