Golapbagh playground yet to open a year after renovation
Development work at the Golapbagh playground in Dhalpur under the Dhaka South City Corporation was completed around a year ago, but it has not yet been opened to the public on the pretext of a delay in the formation of a committee responsible for managing the ground.
Residents in the area are doubtful they will ever get an opportunity to use the ground even after its inauguration.
They have called for opening the ground immediately. But Dhaka South City Corporation says the ground management committee will be formed soon and after that it will be opened to the public.
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The ground is likely to remain closed for two to four hours daily for its maintenance.
The development work started in 2017 under a project titled "Different Infrastructure Development of Dhaka South City Corporation" for the development of Golapbagh playground. The ground had been abandoned for more than a decade after around 2006. With several time extensions, the contractor, UDC Construction, completed the work by the end of 2021.
The city corporation has modernised the ground by constructing a boundary wall and fencing, pavilion, dressing room, waiting room, a gymnasium, basketball court, drains, walkways, library building, and market building at a cost of about Tk16 crore.
Now, there is also a walkway library and a gymnasium for the elderly.
Dhaka South's Executive Engineer Md Saiful Islam Joy told The Business Standard that the development work was completed almost a year ago, but it is taking time to inaugurate the ground as the committee for managing it has not yet been formed.
"A body will be formed to manage the ground, including local councillors and residents' representatives. Besides, the formulation of a policy for the use of the ground is also in its final stages. We will open the field as soon as possible," he added.
According to officials and locals, the playground remained abandoned from 2006 to 2017 as it was occupied for the construction of the Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover.
Later, Dhaka South began the renovation of the ground in the face of demands from the local residents.
A visit to the spot on Saturday revealed workers making a cricket pitch on the cricket ground of the field, while a man was seen watering the dried-up grass. New grass has started growing in most areas of the ground. A gallery, restrooms, a gymnasium, and public toilets have been built on the eastern side of the ground.
Local resident Md Imran told TBS, "I have not seen anyone playing on this ground for the last three or four years."
Ninth grader Shah Newaz told TBS that there is no playground in the surrounding area. Once this playground is opened, it will be a place for sports and walking for all local residents.
"I was happy when a walkway was built around the ground, but it has been locked for a year. There is no access to it. What is the benefit of being so modern if there is no opportunity to use it?" The query was from a frustrated local resident Idris Ali.
UDC Constitution's side engineer Hriday Krishna Das told TBS, "We completed the work a year ago and handed over the ground to the authorities."
The lottery for allotment of 43 shops in the visitor gallery market was also held on 12 April. The authorities have not yet handed over the shops to the lottery winners. The city corporation says that the shops will also be handed over when the ground is opened.
Badal Sardar, councillor of Ward No 49 of Dhaka South, told TBS that the ground has been waiting for its opening for a long time.
"Local residents have requested me several times to open it, but it is not possible for me to do anything until the city corporation inaugurates it," he added.
He further said, "I also want the ground to be opened to the public. If access is reserved for maintenance, it will not be the right decision at all."
Several cricket matches of the Dhaka South Mayor's Cup were also held at this ground last year. But the public could never use it.
The city corporation said that some cricket matches for this year's Mayor's Cup will also be held on this ground. For this reason, the cricket pitch is also being made anew. A Mayor's Cup cricket match may be held on this ground on 5 January.
Executive Engineer Saiful Islam Joy said that even if the field is open to the public, the ground may be closed for maintenance for two to four hours a day in two shifts.
