Tk 200cr project for amusement park at Dhupkhola

The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has taken initiative to build a children’s park on the historical Dhupkhola field in Old Dhaka. The ambitious project of Tk 200 crore was taken up without carrying out any preparation of the field for the purpose. According to environmentalists, open green environment and playing grounds are needed much more than such a commercial park in the densely populated old city.

The engineering department of DSCC said ECNEC provided fund of Tk 1,200 crore for various development works of DSCC including Tk 200 crore for building a modern park on the field. Architectural firm Prokolpo Upadeshta has been appointed or the job and has been asked to submit the design for the modern park. The design is almost ready. Th tender will be called in no time.

The Dhupkhola field, around seven acres in size, is unfit for playing. The field is divided in three parts – the Jagannnath University central ground, East End Club ground and the part used by locals for to play. DSCC owns these three grounds.

Instead of making a children’s park, residents of Old Dhaka, urban planners and sports organisers want a renovation of the grounds. According to them, the kids and young of the area will be deprived of a playing ground if a children’s amusement park is built there. The DSCC has to change its decision as the park will create traffic congestion in the residential area with narrow roads.

Urban planner Nazrul Islam told Prothom Alo that a children’s amusement park is not any alternative to a playing ground. A playing field is important for the physical development of the children and young. Playing grounds and an open environment are also needed for the densely populated Old Dhaka, he added.

While visiting the site on Friday, it was seen the ground surrounded with greenery was full of hundreds of children and young playing cricket and football. Both the grounds were, though, were filled with garbage, big holes, and brick chips.

 The Sonali Otit Football Player Welfare Organisation provides free training to junior footballers at East End club ground. The club’s organiser and coach Mohiuddin Ahmed said the number of national level players from both cricket and football playing here. Young children also play in the ground. The environment of Old Dhaka will deteriorate if a commercial park is set up there, he said.  There will be no open space, he added.

A total of Tk 135.60 crore has been estimated as the cost of building a children’s park in the ground, said DSCC engineering department. The expense of building infrastructure has been estimated Tk 59.4 crore. The tender process will end by December. Construction work is scheduled to start from January next year and finish by July 2018.

DSCC administrative engineer and director of the project Asaduzzaman said the consulting firm is planning rides of the children’s park. The entry fee will be fixed after these are in place.

Resident of Siddik Bazar of Old Dhaka Jabed Jahan, also a member of Paribesh Bachao Andolan, said Dhupkhola ground the biggest in size among the grounds of Old Dhaka. The ground was full of greenery during their youth. The ground was unfit as it was used for keeping the equipments during the construction of Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover some years ago. The children of the area still play in that field. The grounds also need to be renovated as the local people come there for their morning and evening walks, he added.

Talking with Prothom Alo on Sunday, DSCC mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon said, “There is a lack of government or private amusement parks in the capital. That is why a park will be built at Dhupkhola ground with modern facilities like there is in Malaysia and Singapore.”

The decision about will be taken in consultation with the people of Old Dhaka, he added.

DSCC had a total of 16 grounds, among which seven are illegally occupied. Most of the other grounds are unfit for playing.