Gulshan’s park closed for 28 months as renovation faces time overruns
People have not been able to use Shahid Dr Fazle Rabbi Park in Gulshan-1 of the capital – a green open space vital for a morning walk in particular in the country's diplomatic zone – for 28 months due to a huge time overrun in its renovation.
Once local residents would take a walk every morning, pedestrians would spend time and children would play in the vital park for that area. But the facility has been closed since the renovation began.
Senior citizens, who used to walk inside the facility, are the most affected by the closure.
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MR Construction started renovation in July 2020 after it had received the work order from Dhaka North City Corporation. The work was supposed to have been completed in April 2021.
However, as the work was not completed, the authorities extended the deadline by six months. Another year has passed after the extended period, but the renovation is yet to come to an end.
The city corporation and the contracting company have blamed the delays on the Covid-19 pandemic and changes in the design of the park.
MR Construction says the work will be completed by December this year.
However, locals and Gulshan Society have called for an immediate opening of the park for all. They have demanded that the authorities complete the work of the walking areas first and make the park suitable for walking.
On 31 December last year, morning visitors formed a human chain to press home their demand for the opening of the park quickly and allowing local residents to walk in it. Later, on 2 January, they submitted a memorandum to the Dhaka North mayor expressing the same demand.
Golam Rahman, a resident of Gulshan, said people used to take walks regularly in the park in the morning. Many people used to sit there and take a breather while little boys and girls engaged in sports.
"But in the name of renovation, a brick and stone structure is being built in the park, keeping it closed for nearly three years. No one knows when it will open to people," he told The Business Standard.
Rakibul, a 7th grader in this area, told TBS, "There is no playground around us. If the playground in the park were opened, we could play with friends."
Under the modernisation and greening project of Dhaka North, the renovation of some of the 22 parks and four playgrounds is underway. Shahid Dr Fazle Rabbi Park is among them. Its renovation cost has been estimated at over Tk11.52 crore.
During a visit last week, TBS found that a few workers were working inside the park, surrounded by a tin fence. The work of the two entrances is in the final stage. Laying of tiles on the walkway is in the final stage. A service block has been constructed at the northern end of the park. It is almost finished.
The part will have a management office, a prayer room and a section of toilets. Piling for the rooftop on the walkway is in the final stage. The work on the drainage system inside the park has been finished. The installation of glass on the boundary wall is underway.
Dhaka North says a 15-foot high boundary wall around the park is being made with transparent glass. Due to the glass walls, the air will not flow directly. Apart from that, this glass will reduce sounds generated by vehicles plying on nearby roads.
However, since the glass walls will be high, there will be parallel opaque lines or bird strips on the glass so that there is no problem with the movement of the birds, it adds.
The park will have designated areas for exercise where some exercise equipment will be available. In addition, it has a rainwater storage system. Some of the water will be drained while some will go into the reservoir through drains. Apart from this, an artificial mound has been made to slope from the roof of the service block towards the front where there will be green meadows.
Also, there will be arrangements for entertainment for all ages of people as well as seniors. Under this project, adequate lighting will be provided inside the park for smooth travel after the evening.
Khalid Mansur, the project architect of MR Constitution, told TBS, "A water pump of Wasa was the biggest problem here. Due to this, the master plan has had to be changed."
"Besides, the work has been delayed due to the pandemic," he said but expresses his hope of completing the work by December.
The architect said the noise barrier that will be used as the boundary wall has been imported from Germany.
Md Mofizur Rahman, local ward councillor of Dhaka North, told TBS "Gulshan is an important area, known as the diplomatic zone. A park cannot be in such a condition here. So, it takes time to renovate the park."
He said the park would be opened to the public after a completion of the renovation by December this year.
"We have asked the contractor to complete the work quickly," said the councillor. "After the start of the renovation, work was halted for six months due to design complications."
