Dream come true for many

A large number of government officials spend their precious time of life in colonies and can only dream of a house of their own (top); Proposed site for multi-storey housing for government employees at Mohakhali (below)Photo: STAR

Government employees have been enthused by the proposed multi-storey housing scheme for them as they will be able to buy those on easy instalments.
Public Works Department (PWD) will build 4,256 flats in Mohakhali and Mirpur areas by 2011 and sell them among the government officials.
“We are very enthusiastic about it simply because it will provide us with some housing solutions, said JN Biswas, additional divisional commissioner of Sylhet. “Such housing project is an answer to the government officials' worry for shelter after retirement.”
The next generation of a government official feel a sense of uncertainty and insecurity of housing after their father or mother retires from service, Biswas said, adding, “I will apply for a flat as soon as the authorities invite applications for it.”
The government of India, for example, facilitates housing loan and provides other incentives for housing of government officials of all classes, he said.
PWD officials said the government targets to complete the project by December 2011.
“It is like a dream comes true for many of us,” said Rashidul Hassan, an executive engineer of PWD. “I will surely apply for a flat at the government housing complex.”
Hassan lived long 20 years in government quarters as his father was a government official. He said that he still remembers his childhood days when he used to play every day at big playgrounds in the government staff colony.
“But my 10-year-old son is deprived of such an opportunity today in private housing complexes,” he regretted.
Security and surrounding environment are usually much better than what it is at a private housing complex, according to Hassan.
The core attractive features of a government housing initiative include adequate open space, playgrounds, greenery, ventilation and community centre.
PWD Chief Engineer Abdullah-Al-Shafi said they have already pre-qualified 13 builders for the Mohakhali site and 12 for the Mirpur site as private partners.
The pre-qualified developers will make financial offer by the end of November for share of the flats. Government will accept the highest offer of flat ownership.
The government portion of the flats will be sold among the government officials.
While the government will provide only land, private developers will build all the infrastructures at their own cost and get share of the flats at a ratio to be settled in bidding. They will be able to sell their flats following government rules.
Shafi said, “This is a pilot project and government may think of similar projects at district and divisional towns if it proves successful.”
Prof Nazrul Islam, a noted urban expert who volunteered for drawing up the Housing Development Programme for Dhaka city and has just completed it, said that 15-storey buildings mean a very high-density housing.
The implementing agency should check whether the Detailed Area Plan of Dhaka allows such land use at the proposed site, said Prof Islam. “They should also make sure adequate utility services and physical facilities are available before they start construction.”
Asked about electricity, sewer system, utility services and roads for the residents, the PWD chief engineer said they would think about it in the second phase and that there will be deep tube-wells and electric sub-stations in the project sites.
In the first phase in 2007-2008 fiscal year, PWD will build the high-rise apartment buildings at its own land in Mohakhali and Mirpur.
The Mohakhali site area includes around 20 acres of Banani Lake. There will be a 10-acre lake within the project and the rest will be earth-filled for the project, said Shafi. Around 40 percent of the project area will be built-up.
The site in Mohakhali is located on 42.38 acres land in Karail Mouja and that in Mirpur is located near PWD's Wood Workshop Division on 7.18 acres of land.
A total of eight 15-storey buildings will be built for 896 flats at Mirpur site. Four buildings will have 1400 square feet flats and the rest will have 1200 square feet flats.
The Department of Architecture has drawn a primary layout design for both the sites. The layout provides for 30 apartment buildings, each of which will be 15-storey, to create 3360 flats at Mohakhali site. Ten of the buildings will have 2000 square feet flats, ten will have 1700 square feet and the rest ten will have 1400 square feet flats.
The housing complex will have amenities like lake, garden, playground, arboury culture, community centre, shopping centre, health centre and swimming pool.
A 1400 square feet flat in Mohakhali will cost Tk 40.84 lakh, a 1700 square feet one Tk 49.69 lakh, and a 200 square feet flat will cost Tk 58.34 lakh. In Mirpur, a 1200 square feet flats will cost 33.11 lakh and a 1400 square feet one Tk 38.62 lakh.
PWD has undertaken the project in the light of government's infrastructure development on public-private partnership policy of 2008. The draft project proposal is yet to be sent to the Planning Commission for approval.