Dhanmandi no more what it was
Wednesday, 17 September 2008
Munima Sultana
How long Dhanmandi would remain in high demand as a residential area? According to the real estate and housing association of Bangladesh (REHAB), it is still top the list among posh residential areas.
The association has no specific data on increasing demand of the area. But a REHAB executive claimed that the demand for Dhanmondi rose by 10 per cent this year.
"The estimation was done on the basis of clients' interest for apartments in and around Dhanmondi," he said.
RAHAB with over 300 realtors as its members build approximately 2000 units a year. But it has no area-wise record on buildings construction.
The city planners said, an increasing population density of Dhanmondi was causing dismay to its residents. More so because educational institutions, shopping centres, corporate offices, clinics, hospital, diagnostic centres proliferate at Dhanmandi, originally developed as an exclusive residential area after the Liberation War.
According to a study done by Dhaka Urban Transport Board (DUTB) in 2004, population pressure was increasing at Dhanmandi. The population of Dhanmandi estimated at 254,099 in 2004 which was 222,663 in 2001. According to the 1991 census report, the population in Dhanmondi area was 201529.
According to Department of Architecture under Ministry of Housing and Public Works, there were some residences in the Dhanmondi area in 1948-49. It was made exclusive residential area in the Master Plan of 1959. In 1976, it has three wards, 20 mouzas. Later, Dhaka City Corporation split Dhanmandi into four wards for the convenience of its municipal services and amenities. Dhanmondi now has exclusive police station.
Dhanmandi once a posh residential area has lost much of its orginical character. It has no single or two-storied houses with big lawn and gardens. The Dhanmondi Lake was an attractive feature of the area. In 1991, it has 33,451 houses. According to the DUTB study, by 2004, it had 49 highrise buildings within 4.48sq kilometr area.
Now it has become both a commercial-cum-residential area due to lack of strict monitoring measures of the authority concerned. The single storey houses have been replaced by a growing number of six-storied apartment complexes. Non-residential establishments include schools, universities, colleges, hospitals, restaurants and shopping centres, banks, crowded the area.
The town planners blame aggressive real estate business policies damage the spoiling the once quiet residential character of Dhanmandi. Now it is very congested area facing an unprecedented crowding of the vehicles.
They said that Dhanmandi's increasing number of commercial establishments, its inadequate parking facilities was causing tremendous traffic congestion on daily basis. The traffic jams get unbearable during school and office hours in particular. The evenings, are no different because shoppers crowd there from all over the captial.
Land at Dhanmandi is the costliest in the city. Apartment price is also higher than other areas.
Ehsan Khan, an architect with the Dhanmondi Lake project of Dhaka City Corporation, said the demand of land and apartment at Dhanmondi, Gulshan and Banani would continue to rise unless and untill a new city was developed close by.
"No one expects the demand for a flat or a plot of land at Dhanmandi to decline in the near future," he said. But the authorities need to pay attention to maintain Dhanmandi's special features for which it was developed, he said.
As of now, there is no such plan to redesign the Dhanmandi. Only 10 to 15 per cent plots might await a high rise building.
The residents of area who still live there or left it find it difficult to forget good old Dhanmandi. A resident once commented in Face Book, a popular social network "This is the place where we were born, grew up and spent bachelor days. I love this place very very much. I've seen so many beautiful places in different countries but 'Our Dhanmondi Lake' is the best.
After reviving the beauty of Dhanmondi Lake, the residents love to take a walk on the lakeside walkway. Rabindra Sharabar at one corner of the lake, offers the stage for dramas, concernt, various cultural shows. It attracts amateur as well as accomplished groups. Food chains, snacks and beverage corners attract people in spare time.
An annoyed resident, however, described Dhanmandi as chaotic ecoing the feelings of many other.
Architect Ehsan Khan said the older a city gets the more it gets lively. Dhanmondi is like that."
But Dhanmandi needs attention to ease the pressure of vehicles and maintain its speciality, he added.
How long Dhanmandi would remain in high demand as a residential area? According to the real estate and housing association of Bangladesh (REHAB), it is still top the list among posh residential areas.
The association has no specific data on increasing demand of the area. But a REHAB executive claimed that the demand for Dhanmondi rose by 10 per cent this year.
"The estimation was done on the basis of clients' interest for apartments in and around Dhanmondi," he said.
RAHAB with over 300 realtors as its members build approximately 2000 units a year. But it has no area-wise record on buildings construction.
The city planners said, an increasing population density of Dhanmondi was causing dismay to its residents. More so because educational institutions, shopping centres, corporate offices, clinics, hospital, diagnostic centres proliferate at Dhanmandi, originally developed as an exclusive residential area after the Liberation War.
According to a study done by Dhaka Urban Transport Board (DUTB) in 2004, population pressure was increasing at Dhanmandi. The population of Dhanmandi estimated at 254,099 in 2004 which was 222,663 in 2001. According to the 1991 census report, the population in Dhanmondi area was 201529.
According to Department of Architecture under Ministry of Housing and Public Works, there were some residences in the Dhanmondi area in 1948-49. It was made exclusive residential area in the Master Plan of 1959. In 1976, it has three wards, 20 mouzas. Later, Dhaka City Corporation split Dhanmandi into four wards for the convenience of its municipal services and amenities. Dhanmondi now has exclusive police station.
Dhanmandi once a posh residential area has lost much of its orginical character. It has no single or two-storied houses with big lawn and gardens. The Dhanmondi Lake was an attractive feature of the area. In 1991, it has 33,451 houses. According to the DUTB study, by 2004, it had 49 highrise buildings within 4.48sq kilometr area.
Now it has become both a commercial-cum-residential area due to lack of strict monitoring measures of the authority concerned. The single storey houses have been replaced by a growing number of six-storied apartment complexes. Non-residential establishments include schools, universities, colleges, hospitals, restaurants and shopping centres, banks, crowded the area.
The town planners blame aggressive real estate business policies damage the spoiling the once quiet residential character of Dhanmandi. Now it is very congested area facing an unprecedented crowding of the vehicles.
They said that Dhanmandi's increasing number of commercial establishments, its inadequate parking facilities was causing tremendous traffic congestion on daily basis. The traffic jams get unbearable during school and office hours in particular. The evenings, are no different because shoppers crowd there from all over the captial.
Land at Dhanmandi is the costliest in the city. Apartment price is also higher than other areas.
Ehsan Khan, an architect with the Dhanmondi Lake project of Dhaka City Corporation, said the demand of land and apartment at Dhanmondi, Gulshan and Banani would continue to rise unless and untill a new city was developed close by.
"No one expects the demand for a flat or a plot of land at Dhanmandi to decline in the near future," he said. But the authorities need to pay attention to maintain Dhanmandi's special features for which it was developed, he said.
As of now, there is no such plan to redesign the Dhanmandi. Only 10 to 15 per cent plots might await a high rise building.
The residents of area who still live there or left it find it difficult to forget good old Dhanmandi. A resident once commented in Face Book, a popular social network "This is the place where we were born, grew up and spent bachelor days. I love this place very very much. I've seen so many beautiful places in different countries but 'Our Dhanmondi Lake' is the best.
After reviving the beauty of Dhanmondi Lake, the residents love to take a walk on the lakeside walkway. Rabindra Sharabar at one corner of the lake, offers the stage for dramas, concernt, various cultural shows. It attracts amateur as well as accomplished groups. Food chains, snacks and beverage corners attract people in spare time.
An annoyed resident, however, described Dhanmandi as chaotic ecoing the feelings of many other.
Architect Ehsan Khan said the older a city gets the more it gets lively. Dhanmondi is like that."
But Dhanmandi needs attention to ease the pressure of vehicles and maintain its speciality, he added.