Dispute keeps Uttara Model Town project at bay for 22 years

The implementation of Uttara Model town (Phase III) project is facing manifolds problems including physical demarcation of lakes No 1 to 4 in a dispute between Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and WASA.
Uttara Model City project is being implemented over the past 22 years and near to close at 92 per cent progress achieved. The project officials said the remaining work would require one year extension as per project officials looking after the work.
The Project Steering Committee (PSC) discussed the progress recently chaired by secretary of the Housing and Public Works Ministry Shahid Ullah Khandake, Planning Commission sources said.
Project director Susanto Kumer Saha said that it was not possible to carry out excavation of    lakes in the project area due to disputes over areas of lake No 1 to 4.
Moreover it will not be possible to complete the work within the stipulated time unless the    inter-organ expenditure is adjusted between the approved expenditure of various components of the project.The project was undertaken by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) at a cost of Tk 2,044.81 crore.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the implementation from July 1999 to June 2002. The project was then revised twice. According to Second Revised Development Project Proposal (DPP), the estimated cost of the project has increased to a total of Tk 2,316.38 crore.
At that time the implementation period was extended from July 1999 to June 2018. But it did not end there. Since the second revision, the term has been extended but expenditure has not been increased. The project was last extended till June this year. But extension again was granted till June 2022 without increasing the cost.
Project officials said the cumulative financial spending progress has been so far at 83.70 percent. In other words, a total of Tk 1936.53 crore has been spent during this period. However, there has been more real progress than financial progress. The actual physical progress of the project stands at 92 percent.
During the PSC meeting concerned officials and department were asked to take initiative to   settle the dispute between Dhaka WASA and Dhaka North City Corporation regarding the demarcation of Lake No 1 and 4 in the project area.
Planned extension of the city limits is being undertaken under the Uttara Model Town Project with the objectives of accommodating the growing population and providing the level of service to the people.
the project located over 2,150 acres (8.7 km) of land to create about 10,000 residential plots and build 225,512 apartments including creating urban facilities. RAJUK is looking after Uttra project.