Dhaka Projects - Part 3

[sas]

Originally Posted by mirzazeehan

Yep...They are making the union center much taller.

This is next to Eastern Bank/Shoppers World right? How tall? What offices will be there? Any idea?

[mirzazeehan]

[QUOTE=sas;91006053]This is next to Eastern Bank/Shoppers World right? How tall? What offices will be there?

It will prolly be twelve storied tall,that's all I can say

[mirzazeehan]

Can anyone point. Out where exactly the aiub campus is being built?

[amar11372]

Originally Posted by mirzazeehan

Can anyone point. Out where exactly the aiub campus is being built?

[British-Bangladeshi]

The 2 bridges look awesome, the design is very impressive, it will make the area look modern.

(Iam talking about the Hatirjheel-Begunbari project).

[jason.kazi]

Offices where homes should be

Rajuk must weed out the commercial from the residential

A parliamentary sub-committee has recently observed a fact that has been apparent to the residents of areas such as Gulshan, Banani and Uttara for some years now. Numerous commercial organisations established on residential plots avoid tax rates as well as utility charges for commercial offices which are higher than those for residential usage. Not only are they depriving the State of a huge amount in taxes, but they are also contributing to the deteriorating environment of the residential areas. In fact, the matter has been brought to the attention of the parliamentary sub-committee because of the traffic gridlock caused by offices in these locations. As several of them also lack proper parking facilities, it aggravates the situation even more, with vehicles being parked inconveniently and illegally, causing severe traffic congestion.

How did these commercial organisations obtain permission to be established in residential areas in the first place? They could only do so by taking advantage of loopholes in Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha's (Rajuk) policies or corruption within its system. However, it is never too late to remedy the situation. We hope that without further ado, Rajuk will take up the recommendations made by the parliamentary sub-committee: make a list of classification of plots, owners and the current usage of plots. Having done that, it should identify and document evidence of commercial buildings in residential areas, ask them to be vacated and ensure that they pay their dues. The authorities should probe how the commercial organisations could be set up in residential areas at all. If the existing ones are weeded out and new ones are not allowed in the first place, we believe it would be a huge step forward in reducing traffic congestion and pollution, and in bringing back the clean, quiet and homely environment that should characterise any residential areas.

Source: The Daily Star

[jason.kazi]

City corporations to have solar street lighting
ECNEC approves six projects

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) Wednesday approved six development projects involving Tk 8.75 billion, including one to make arrangements for introducing solar street lighting in seven city corporations, reports UNB.

The approval was given at an ECNEC meeting held at the NEC conference room with ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

"Of the total project cost, Tk 3.86 billion will come from the national exchequer while the remaining Tk 4.89 billion as project assistance," said acting Planning Division Secretary Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam while briefing reporters after the meeting.

Under the 'Solar Street Lighting Programme in City Corporation' project, the Power Division will introduce solar energy-driven Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology in seven city corporation streets replacing the existing lighting system.

The project would cover one thousand kilometres of streets of Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet and Rangpur City Corporations. The project would be implemented during January 2012-December 2015 period with a cost of Tk 3.17 billion.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide Tk 2.37 billion for the project. Recommending the project, the Planning Commission (PC) said the project would help spread the use of renewable energy allover the country.

It is also commensurate with the Renewable Energy Policy 2008 which has fixed the renewable energy production target at 5 per cent of the total energy generation by the year 2015 and 10 per cent by the year 2020, the PC added.

The ECNEC meeting approved another project with a view to expanding and developing water, sanitation and drainage system in Tongi Pourashava, including Tongi Ijtema ground, with a cost of Tk 0.94 billion.

Under the project, sixty-two kilometres of water supply pipeline will be installed alongside 22 three-storied toilet building. Some 500 low-cost sanitary latrines, adequate number of tube-wells, water points, pump stations and electric substations will also be set up. The project is expected to be completed by June 2014.

The other projects approved at the meeting are Installation of Off-Grid Wind-Solar Hybrid System with HFO-based Engine Driven Generator in Haitya Island project (Tk 1.31 billion, GoB 0.36 billion and PA 0.95 billion), Installation of 5 MW Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) Grid-Connected Power Generation Plant at Kaptai project (Tk 1.93 billion, GoB 0.36 billion and PA 1.57 billion), Establishment of Bangabandhu Textile Engineering College project, 3rd revised (Tk 0.90 billion-GoB) and Digitalisation of land survey, record preparation and preservation project (Tk 0.50 billion-GoB).

[jason.kazi]

Mohakhali kitchen mkt to be DCC (North) HQ

Thu, May 3rd, 2012 11:53 pm BdST

Dhaka, May 3 (bdnews24.com) – The government has decided to turn city's Mahakhali kitchen market into the headquarters of Dhaka City Corporation (North).

The decision was taken at the review meeting of the Annual Development Programme (ADB) of the Local Government Division and the organisations under its purview at the Division's conference room on Thursday, with state minister for local government, rural development and cooperatives Jahangir Kabir Nanak in the chair.

As per the decision, the new building of DCC (North) would be constructed by acquiring seven acres of land from the ongoing Mohakhali kitchen market project. The meeting was told that construction of the 65,000 square feet building had been completed up to the third storey.

Since the bifurcation of the civic body last December, the DCC building is being used as the headquarters of DCC South.

During the meeting, a five-member probe body headed by additional secretary Abdul Malek was formed to investigate irregularities into the Dayaganj Sweeper Colony construction project.

The meeting was informed that the Local Government Division had allocated Tk 92.9933 billion to implement 142 projects during 2011-12 fiscal. About 56 percent of the projects had already been completed until March this year.

Local Government Division secretary Abu Alam Shahid Khan and high officials of the other related organisations concerned attended the meeting.

bdnews24.com/mk/ah/skb/nir/2240h

[jason.kazi]

Dhaka-Ctg 4-lane project stopped due to fund crisis

Munima Sultana

The Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane project has been stopped as it has run out of its balance to carry on further operation due to non-allocation of necessary fund, officials said.

They said almost all kinds of work on the country's prioritised highway expansion work on the busiest Dhaka-Chittagong corridor has been stopped as payment to the three contractors assigned for the project implementation has long been due.

"We're trying to get the minimum fund from the government but even that has not been given until today (Thursday)," said an official expressing frustration over the project.

The Roads and Highways Department (RHD), the executing agency of the Tk 23.82 billion project, has sought an additional Tk 2.27 billion fund from the revised Annual Development Programme (RADP) but received only Tk 20 million.

In the current (2011-2012) fiscal budget, the finance ministry allotted Tk 1.13 billion against the demand for Tk 4.5 billion. Following repeated requests from the communications ministry, the government released an additional Tk 600 million later from the development budget, totalling the fund to Tk 1.73 billion.

The ministry and RHD officials said, from the beginning, the project was run with insufficient budget due to non-allotment of adequate money and the trend is still on.

"We have now run out of fund and are at almost zero balance to continue the work further," said another official adding that all the contractors are reluctant to do their work.

The officials said the planning commission and the finance ministry, over the last few months, assured them of allotting Tk 2.0 billion for the project but gave only Tk 20 million.

The government has attached the highest priority to the Dhaka-Chittagong road upgradation project as the country's main economic corridor connecting the capital with the port city has been failing to bear the burden of the growing traffic movement.

The Chittagong port now handles more than 90 per cent of the country's foreign trade, most of which is transported into and outside the country through the Dhaka-Chittagong highway. Some 90 per cent of the country's manufacturing companies are also situated in the Dhaka-Chittagong economic corridor, making the road the busiest of all.

At the time of coming to the power, the present Awami League-led government announced the Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane project to be of the highest priority and targeted to finish its work by 2013.

Chinese company Sinohydro, local Reza Construction Ltd and a consortium of Taher Brothers and Al-Amin Construction Ltd were awarded the construction work for their proposal of around Tk 16.55 billion in early 2010 but faced many hindrances in continuing their work.

The officials said against the completion target of the important highway expansion project, more than Tk 5.0 billion was needed every year.

But the finance ministry has so far allotted only Tk 2.25 billion. During the first fiscal year (FY 2010-2011), only Tk 500 million was allotted for the project.

Though the finance ministry says that it will release Tk 1.0 billion within a few days, a communications ministry official however said due to dilly-dallying in the action, the project work has been stopped.

"The rainy season is now very close and the money is not yet released. How can the work be continued without the fund?" said the RHD official preferring not be named as he is not the authority to talk to the press.

[TIslam]

Originally Posted by jason.kazi

Offices where homes should be

Rajuk must weed out the commercial from the residential

A parliamentary sub-committee has recently observed a fact that has been apparent to the residents of areas such as Gulshan, Banani and Uttara for some years now. Numerous commercial organisations established on residential plots avoid tax rates as well as utility charges for commercial offices which are higher than those for residential usage. Not only are they depriving the State of a huge amount in taxes, but they are also contributing to the deteriorating environment of the residential areas. In fact, the matter has been brought to the attention of the parliamentary sub-committee because of the traffic gridlock caused by offices in these locations. As several of them also lack proper parking facilities, it aggravates the situation even more, with vehicles being parked inconveniently and illegally, causing severe traffic congestion.

How did these commercial organisations obtain permission to be established in residential areas in the first place? They could only do so by taking advantage of loopholes in Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha's (Rajuk) policies or corruption within its system. However, it is never too late to remedy the situation. We hope that without further ado, Rajuk will take up the recommendations made by the parliamentary sub-committee: make a list of classification of plots, owners and the current usage of plots. Having done that, it should identify and document evidence of commercial buildings in residential areas, ask them to be vacated and ensure that they pay their dues. The authorities should probe how the commercial organisations could be set up in residential areas at all. If the existing ones are weeded out and new ones are not allowed in the first place, we believe it would be a huge step forward in reducing traffic congestion and pollution, and in bringing back the clean, quiet and homely environment that should characterise any residential areas.

Source: The Daily Star

Good luck with that (like it's going to happen)!

[TIslam]

Originally Posted by jason.kazi

City corporations to have solar street lighting
ECNEC approves six projects

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) Wednesday approved six development projects involving Tk 8.75 billion, including one to make arrangements for introducing solar street lighting in seven city corporations, reports UNB.

The approval was given at an ECNEC meeting held at the NEC conference room with ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

"Of the total project cost, Tk 3.86 billion will come from the national exchequer while the remaining Tk 4.89 billion as project assistance," said acting Planning Division Secretary Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam while briefing reporters after the meeting.

Under the 'Solar Street Lighting Programme in City Corporation' project, the Power Division will introduce solar energy-driven Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology in seven city corporation streets replacing the existing lighting system.

The project would cover one thousand kilometres of streets of Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet and Rangpur City Corporations. The project would be implemented during January 2012-December 2015 period with a cost of Tk 3.17 billion.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide Tk 2.37 billion for the project. Recommending the project, the Planning Commission (PC) said the project would help spread the use of renewable energy allover the country.

It is also commensurate with the Renewable Energy Policy 2008 which has fixed the renewable energy production target at 5 per cent of the total energy generation by the year 2015 and 10 per cent by the year 2020, the PC added.

The ECNEC meeting approved another project with a view to expanding and developing water, sanitation and drainage system in Tongi Pourashava, including Tongi Ijtema ground, with a cost of Tk 0.94 billion.

Under the project, sixty-two kilometres of water supply pipeline will be installed alongside 22 three-storied toilet building. Some 500 low-cost sanitary latrines, adequate number of tube-wells, water points, pump stations and electric substations will also be set up. The project is expected to be completed by June 2014.

The other projects approved at the meeting are Installation of Off-Grid Wind-Solar Hybrid System with HFO-based Engine Driven Generator in Haitya Island project (Tk 1.31 billion, GoB 0.36 billion and PA 0.95 billion), Installation of 5 MW Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) Grid-Connected Power Generation Plant at Kaptai project (Tk 1.93 billion, GoB 0.36 billion and PA 1.57 billion), Establishment of Bangabandhu Textile Engineering College project, 3rd revised (Tk 0.90 billion-GoB) and Digitalisation of land survey, record preparation and preservation project (Tk 0.50 billion-GoB).

These are good projects, Bangabandhu incantation notwithstanding. Especially the solar powered street lighting. These things are popping up all over across small towns and cities in the US.

I believe they ought to mandate solar panels and rainwater recycling in all new large commercial and apartment buildings beyond a certain size (capacity).

[mirzazeehan]

Originally Posted by TIslam

These are good projects, Bangabandhu incantation notwithstanding. Especially the solar powered street lighting. These things are popping up all over across small towns and cities in the US.

I believe they ought to mandate solar panels and rainwater recycling in all new large commercial and apartment buildings beyond a certain size (capacity).

Are solar powered street lights always necessarily white?Or can they be Orange/Yellow like the existing lights in Dhaka?

I kinda hate the white street lights they have in Sweden and some other countries!

[mirzazeehan]

Originally Posted by amar11372

I tried to find this site using google earth..but failed.There doesn't seem to be any activity or demarcation in the area shown in this map.However,in the newspapers,I read that the Education Minister inaugurated this project!To the right side of the convention center,I have noticed some Massive Construction work going on.So i was questioning the location of AIUB project.

[jason.kazi]

Originally Posted by mirzazeehan

I tried to find this site using google earth..but failed.There doesn't seem to be any activity or demarcation in the area shown in this map.However,in the newspapers,I read that the Education Minister inaugurated this project!To the right side of the convention center,I have noticed some Massive Construction work going on.So i was questioning the location of AIUB project.

My understanding is that that giant hole is it.

[mirzazeehan]

Originally Posted by jason.kazi

My understanding is that that giant hole is it.

Where do u see a giant hole?Could u plz post an an image of it?

[jason.kazi]

The two circles highlight construction of unknown things. My guess is one of these could be for a fountain for Jamuna Future Park and the other could be a multi-storied parking lot.



The circle here indicates the location of AIUB campus adjacent to the Convention Center. It matches the picture posted above.

You're welcome.

[jason.kazi]

Can someone help me clear up something?

The plot next to Delta Life Tower on GN-2 Rd. 90 has remained excavated for a long period of time?

Is it going to be home to:

Gulshan Towers - http://www.urbika.com/projects/view/6682-gulshan-towers

Borak's Unique Acropolis - http://www.borakbd.com/ProjectDetail...projects&id=12

or a hotel or other project?

[mirzazeehan]

Originally Posted by jason.kazi

Can someone help me clear up something?

The plot next to Delta Life Tower on GN-2 Rd. 90 has remained excavated for a long period of time?

Is it going to be home to:

Gulshan Towers - http://www.urbika.com/projects/view/6682-gulshan-towers

Borak's Unique Acropolis - http://www.borakbd.com/ProjectDetail...projects&id=12

or a hotel or other project?

Its the construction site of United Group's "United Heights Project".I am not sure if they changed the name of that project to "Gulshan Towers".Btw,a new project has started right next to asset development building beside gulshan avenue.One plot away from Bulu's Center.

[jason.kazi]

Originally Posted by mirzazeehan

Its the construction site of United Group's "United Heights Project".I am not sure if they changed the name of that project to "Gulshan Towers".Btw,a new project has started right next to asset development building beside gulshan avenue.One plot away from Bulu's Center.

United Heights? Seems like 25 stories here. Are the first couple of "windowless" floors parking? Or is parking underground?

[jason.kazi]

Originally Posted by mirzazeehan

Its the construction site of United Group's "United Heights Project".I am not sure if they changed the name of that project to "Gulshan Towers".Btw,a new project has started right next to asset development building beside gulshan avenue.One plot away from Bulu's Center.

Is that it?