Lake dev work gathers pace

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Work is coming on fine on the development of Gulshan-Banani-Baridhara Lake that will be linked to Hatirjheel project offering pleasant diversions for city dwellers.
The Executive Committee of National Economic Council on July 6, 2010, rubber-stamped the three-year project to improve and beautify the lake at Tk 400.10 crore.
Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha was supposed to start the project the same month to complete it by 2013.
But the project work hit snags due to the gobbling of land by grabbers and unauthorised inhabits surrounding the area.
In April 2012, the High Court in a verdict ordered the authorities concerned to raze unauthorised structures around the project side within 15 days. But the relevant authorities failed to make a significant headway over the five years due to repeated interventions by the land grabbers.
The work resumed in 2015 and is now expected to be completed in 2021.
In the meantime, half of the digging work and other preparations have been completed. Some 10 companies are working to implement the scheme, said a RAJUK official.
Source said three separate lakes will be excavated under this project.
The first lake spans from the backyard of Police Convention Centre in Niketan to Badda-Shahjadpur to United Hospital located in Baridhara.
The second lake originates from Niketan of Gulshan to Banani graveyard beside Gausul Azam Mosque.
The third lake starts from Niketan of Gulshan to Chairmanbari of Banani.
Work on the second lake is in progress and expected to be completed soon as stated by the local contractors.
It is under construction from Niketan to Banani graveyard. The work from Kakoli to Gulshan-2 area is already done.
Project director Aminur Rahman Sumon told Bangladesh Post, “The project aims to protect the environment and run water vehicles inside the lake. It will be the same as Hatirjheel project.”
“The lakes of Dhaka city are being grabbed nowadays. Through this project, both the lakes will be freed of encroachments and also beautified,” he added.
While visiting the spot, this correspondent found workers digging the lake along with the recovered parts of the encroached land near Baridhara Lake Trail Westside which was dirt-stack since long.
Some of the link roads and eight bridges inside the project will be extended for better connectivity, and sidewalks will be built by the lakeside.
Recreational facilities will be set up at different spots in adjoining areas of the lake. Driveways, footpaths, walkways and viewing decks are also included in the plan.
When contacted, Engineer Rakibul Islam Shimul, director of M/S The Build Engineering and Construction, said, “The progress work is going ahead in collaboration with Dhaka WASA. Soil of some parts of the lake has been kept on lake’s bank. Construction work for second lake from Niketan to Banani graveyard almost completed.”
“The work is expected to end within the stipulated time if things run in this direction,” he added.

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