Rajuk Misses Deadline
Uttara third phase plots to be allotted in June
Helemul Alam
The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) will start distributing the plots under Uttara Model Town third phase from June this year, instead of this month, as 20 percent work of land filling is still incomplete.
Missing its previous deadline, the Rajuk tried to extend the project time by one more year and has already got approval in principle in this regard from the housing and public works ministry, said an official.
Project Director of Uttara third phase Nurul Islam said they would start handing over plots from June and try to hand over all plots within this year. “We have already done 80 percent work of land filling and we are trying our best to complete rest of the work by June 31,” he said.
The Rajuk website however still announces that handing over of plots in Uttara sectors 15-18 will start this month.
Meanwhile, another Rajuk official expressed doubts about the timeframe for completing the land filling work in two of the 59 sections because the process for the work is yet to begin.
The whole project area has been divided into several sections for different types of work: 59 sections for land filling and 32 sections for road construction, for example.
The road construction work in six sections will start shortly while the processes for the rest are at different stages now, said the official.
Thirteen bridges will be constructed on the planned 9.50km lake. The tender processes for two of the bridges have been completed, he said, adding that construction of those will start shortly. The tender evaluation reports of four bridges were sent to the housing and public works ministry on January 20. Tender evaluation of the rest has been completed and is now waiting for the approval of the Rajuk board meeting after which it will be sent to the ministry for its approval, he said.
The process for installing utility services system is also going on, he added.
The previous Awami League government (1996-2001) allotted 226 plots of the third phase project to its leaders and activists in 1999. But the allotments were cancelled following an order of the then prime minister in the wake of wide criticism.
During the AL’s rule the Rajuk then allotted 2,706 plots under the “genuine and deserving” category.
After assuming power the BNP-led four-party alliance government cancelled those allotments but it retained allotments of over 2,000 plots after scrutiny.
Between April 2005 and October 10, 2006, the Rajuk allotted 5,600 plots under the Uttara third phase, including 897 plots under the “genuine and deserving” category.
The immediate past caretaker government cancelled those 897 plots and 400 others allotted to those affected by Rajuk’s acquisition of land for huge allegations of corruption, said an official of Rajuk.
The proposed project of Uttara residential model town third phase is situated on the west of the second phase project. The project area includes Diabari Bauniya, Deul, Bailjuri, Chandalbhog and Nalbhog.
Rajuk took the initiative of Uttara Model Town project in 1966 and it was completed in 1992. In the first phase Rajuk allotted 6,000 plots of different sizes on 950 acres of land. The work for Uttara extension under the second phase started in 1992 and it was completed in 1998. Rajuk acquired 438 acres of land for the second phase and allotted 5,315 plots.
Courtesy: thedailystar.net
