Purbachal project goes far away from original plan

Twenty-six years have gone, since the government took the Purbachal project as part of its move to expand Dhaka, one of the congested and least liveable cities in the world.

Still, the people who have bought plots there are eagerly waiting to see the project finished.

When the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) initiated the Purbachal New Town project in 1995, only 10 lakh people were considered to accommodate in the area. With the delay in project implementation, the authorities now working to set residence facility for three times higher number of people. Thus, the project plan has been changed a lot.

The project was designed on six thousand 226 acres of land in Gazipur’s Kaliganj to Narayangaj’s Rupganj area, with 25 thousand plots.

“The project initially designed for 10 lakh people. However, the number of people to be lived in Purbachal will exceed 27 lakh with the project completion,” Detailed Area Plan (DAP) Project Director Ashraful Islam told The Business Insider Bangladesh.

Original design changed five times

The design of the original project has been changed five times in 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2017.

Although the initial project was designed as a completely residential area, the authorities later included commercial space, minimising civic amenities space like playgrounds, lakes and open spaces.

Meanwhile, the High Court imposed an embargo on further changes of the project design after the fourth time. But the Rajuk ignoring the court order brought the fifth change.

For the fifth time, it gave the space for Iconic tower and central business districts.

Unplanned private housing surrounding the project

Many private housing projects are seen building around the Purbachal New Town project. These housing companies are damaging the environment of the Purbachal New Town project area in many ways.

Taking the issues into consideration, the High Court gave a stay order on their activities in 2018. They however did not stop those yet.

The court stayed the activities of a total of 16 companies. They are Platinum Purbachal City, City Cloud, Canada City, Jomidar City, Dreamland, Homeland Purbachal City, Hometown Purbachal City, Prety Real Estate, Mascot Green City, Puspita Empire Housing, RimJhim Housing, Nandan City, Bestway City, Malum City, Marine City and Sopan City.

Time and cost increased

The Rajuk could not complete the project even in 26 years. Recently the project has been extended for another three years till 2025.

So far, 70 percent of the project has been completed, officials said.

Project Director of Purbachal New Town and Chief Engineer of the Rajuk Uzzwal Mallick told the Business Insider Bangladesh that they hoped the work would be completed by the new deadline 2025.

Some 80 percent of the physical work and 65 percent of the financial work have been done, he added.

In the beginning, the project cost was estimated at Tk 3,311 crore and it was supposed to be completed by 2010.

Now, this expenditure stands at Tk 10,329 crores.

According to the Rajuk officials, the allottees needed to pay extra money due to the increase in expenses from time to time. Several allottees have filed complaints in this regard.

“The authorities charged us extra money in phases, showing an excuse of increased project costs. We had to pay, nothing to do,” Rabiul Haque, one of the allottees, told the Business Insider Bangladesh.

About 17 thousand plots have been allotted in Purbachal so far. But people are not living because there are no civic amenities.

Visiting the project area recently, some of the allottees have found made temporary infrastructure on their plots.

Jahangir Alam, one of them, said he got a 10 Katha plot.

“I have made a garden house. We come sometimes to spend holidays here,” he told the Business Insider Bangladesh.

Jahangir said living facilities such as hospitals, educational institutions, fire services, and water supply have not been developed yet in the area, which is why it is difficult to live there.