Unplanned development from private individual initiatives: study on the urban fringe area of Dhaka city

Abstract

The rnpid urbanization of Dhaka has led to brisk outward urban expansion, results in unplanned transformation from rural to urban land usc with inadequate infrastructure facilities. A close scrutiny of the city development reveals that most parts of Dhaka have developed in an unpianned manner whereas very few parts have been developed in a planned manner. In this proce~s private ",ctor played the dominant ",Ie while public sector limited itself to infrastructure development and service provision. Growth of large >.eetionso(Dhaka by private individual initiatives has taken place in an unplanned manner due to absence of proper guidance by the concerned authorities. Development by individual plot owners i, an age old tradition of Dhaka. Many residential areas of central Dhaka grew by individual initiatives at local level. Problem~ of lhe>e unplanned residential areas are known by all. Such kind of development lrend is slill in practice though in recenl years private land development companies arc active to develop large lracks of land for housing. The trend of development by the individual land oWners ;s mostly visible in fringe areas of Dhaka. It i, evidenl from the three study areas (Badda, Gabtoli lind Matuail) thlll local people at their own iniliative tornl a committee/ Sumily to make plan for lheir locality. Degree of involvemenl of local people in lhc,", wmmitlee organizalions varies in three study areas due to SOme specific reasons. The land owners have ~ery linle knowledge about planning and they have very little idea abOlll rules and regulation,>. A, a re'lIll all these newly developed areas suffer from enormous problems, The study has revealed the overall s;tualion of the area along with their development process, 1l is observed from the sludy that over lhe lime period from 1995102006, uoplanned development lakes place al a fast pace in all the three study areaS. The"" unplanned areas suffer from lack of service and utilities, severe shortage of open spaec and community tacilities, narrow and uneven access road nCI\_ork. Mo~t of these arCaSdo nol totlow the building rules imd regulation. !l is evidenl from lhe ,tudy that mosl oflhe landowners arc eager to acecpl any Wr! of~upport regarding planning and development of their areas from relevant aulhorilies. From the interview of Ihe p",fessionals and relcvant aUlhorilie.l, il is >"ggested most thaI the Delailed Area " Planning will he the opportunity to overcome the situation with active participation of the local people. The policies and institutional short comings are also reviewed. This study will he helpful to fonnulate a comprohensive planning effort to guide the unplanned growth in the fringe areas through the private individual initiatives. Especially, through the Detailed Area Planning phase these unplanned areas can be brought undcr specific guidelines.