After the formulation of the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) for Dhaka Metropolis, various stakeholders have repeatedly exerted pressure on various agencies of the government including the Development Authority. As a result, the effective implementation of DAP continues to face hurdles, which is an obstacle to building a livable and sustainable Dhaka. Therefore, the initiative to revise the detailed regional plan of Dhaka should be stopped immediately.
This opinion was expressed by the IPD at a virtual event titled ‘Dhaka Detailed Area Plan (DAP) Revision Initiative: IPD’s Observation’ organized by the Institute for Planning and Development (IPD) on Saturday (September 16).
IPD Executive Director Professor Dr. Adil Muhammad presented the observations on behalf of IPD.
He said that the success or failure of any plan depends on the sincere goodwill of all concerned in the implementation of the plan, proper implementation, necessary financing, development control, rule of law and public interest-public welfare, and the sincere and proper implementation of the plan and policies. Due to the lack of proper and full implementation of structural plans, master plans or DAP documents for Dhaka metropolis, Dhaka has gradually lost habitability.
Adil Muhammad also said that RAJUK has made concessions in favor of influential and vested interests regarding DAP’s population density zoning. Adoption of FAR (FAR) system from area-based height zoning proposed in the draft DAP, subsequent increase in FAR values – all are showing compromise. In DAP, not only ‘Population Plan’ to build livable city, but also ‘Development Prevalence Management’; That point has been completely ignored. The behavior of some professionals related to building design and construction is at odds with efforts to build a sustainable built environment and livable city. Amendment of DAP will further harm public interest and public health by disrupting the free flow of adequate light and air inside the building.
As an example, the IPD said, an ideal urban plan would have a single-story house next to a 12-foot road. According to the Building Regulations of 1996, three storeys on sides of 12 feet were applicable for Dhaka city till 2007. But now according to DAP’s proposed amendments and various media reports, if a row of 8-story buildings are built on both sides of the 12-foot road in the new FAR proposal, then how will the livability of that area be, including traffic congestion, how will light and air enter the building, and how will public health be? predictable. Similarly, the plot-based Purbachal New Town project designed for a population of 10 lakhs as per the FAR standard proposed in DAP would lead to the collapse of Purbachal as per the FAR standards proposed by DAP – a matter which the IPD urged the policy makers to consider.
It is also said by the IPD, under the cover of discussion on FAR and elevation in DAP, conservation of reservoirs- water bodies, effective control of mixed land use, development of playground-parks-public spaces and the process of granting legalization of unauthorized residential buildings and projects in illegal land categories, There has been no discussion in the policy making circles on issues such as replacement of industrial plants set up in unauthorized places. Development authorities as well as Rajuk and many ministries lacked sincere interest in proper and full implementation of DAP. There is reluctance of many working in development authorities to approve building construction as per DAP implementation and approved DAP recommendations, who are various beneficiaries of the building construction and supervision process. On the contrary, DAP has always been misrepresented by vested interests. DAP will be revised soon, the message has been spread widely, discouraging building owners interested in construction. Many building design and construction professionals are trying to send a different message to building owners, not interested in building design, according to the new DAP proposal.
IPD says that they are interested in increasing the FAR as the matter related to DAP’s FAR is related to the economic gain and profit of the plot owners and housing traders. However, the common people are supporting DAP’s proposed population density and building height proposals, which will contribute to increasing the livability of the city. One example of which is the online survey on ‘DAP’s proposed population density and building height recommendations’. Where about 70 percent of people supported DAP’s proposal. However, at various times, the self-interested circles have been campaigning the government with negative and false propaganda regarding DAP’s proposal related to population density, saying that the common people are unwilling to accept this proposal.
As a result, the detailed regional plan of Dhaka cannot be properly implemented due to repeated obstacles from the interested parties. The review committee formed soon after the last two detailed regional plans were formed has wasted the main thrust of DAP implementation. In both cases the government has compromised the overall public interest, the livability of the city, to the dominant class. Similarly, in the revision of Land Development Rules 2004 for private residential projects (made in 2012 and 2015), the standards of civic amenities have been greatly reduced, ignoring the public interest under the pressure of housing traders.
The IPD also said that the DAP amendment proposal contained few good proposals, including handing over the land set aside for the proposed road to local government authorities; But the proposed amendment
