Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is working to restore beauty of 18 parks and four playgrounds for making Dhaka a better livable city.
As part of its move, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) undertaken a park-playground development project, to facilitate use of the playgrounds for people of all ages.
The duration of the DNCC's park-playground development project is being extended again as implementation has been hampered by the Corona epidemic.
Therefore, the project, undertaken for the development of parks and playgrounds of the DNCC, is being amended.
An amendment proposal has already been sent to the Planning Commission for the project titled “Modernization, Development and Greening of Open Space of Dhaka North City Corporation.”
The joint head of Physical Planning, Water Supply and Housing Wing-2 of the Department of Physical Infrastructure said the project was undertaken to build effective, sustainable and livable infrastructure and improve the environment.
The project was approved by ECNEC on 16 March 2017. Approved for implementation from January 2018 to June 2019.
Later, the Local Government Department extended the duration of the project till June 2020. The term has been extended for another year at a later date.
This time it is being increased till June 2022. The total estimated cost of the revised project has been estimated at Tk 206.42 crore, which is being spent with full government funding.
In this regard, Tariq bin Aziz, Additional Chief Engineer (Acting) of DNCC, said the revised project has been sent to the Planning Commission.
He said the project was delayed due to the Corona epidemic. At the same time, the money was not released properly, he said adding that now it has to be corrected.
According to the Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) meeting, there are 50 parks and playgrounds in the DNCC area.
Of which 22 parks and four playgrounds are owned by DNCC. These playgrounds and parks have infrastructural weaknesses and lack of security.
Under the proposed project, apart from four parks, 18 parks and four playgrounds will be modernized, 23 public toilets will be renovated and 50 new hygienic toilets will be constructed, two cemeteries will be developed and a modern hygienic slaughterhouse will be renovated to make Dhaka a better livable city.
As the reason for the project amendment, the project director said the PEC meeting that the amendment proposal excluded the proposal to build four parks, two cemeteries and three modern animal slaughterhouses.
The project could not be completed on time as it was not possible to explain the site to the contractor in time as there were club houses and other illegal installations at each site.
Therefore, it has been proposed to amend various organs.
It was informed at the meeting that in the original approved development project proposal (DPP), the expenditure for the development of 22 parks and 4 playgrounds was estimated at Tk 137.54 crore. But in the revised DPP, excluding 4 parks, Tk 129.93 crore has been proposed for this part.