Friday, March 30, 2007

Mohakhali flyover and Gulistan-Jatrabari flyover


Mohakhali flyover, construction in 2001-02

Inauguration of flyover in Nov 2004


Bird's eye view (pic credit tmac)




From Banani end


Mohakhali-Tejgaon Industrial road on left

View of Mohakhali buildings from flyover



Container train pass underneath the flyover towards Kamalapur Railway station

Model of Gulistan-Jatrabari: 3rd flyover

Construction of 3rd flyover at Gulistan point, in Dec 2006


Flyovers in Dhaka:
According to World Bank, the population of Dhaka would rise between 22 - 25 million by 2020. Dhaka’s present 13 million population is growing at a fast rate. Dhaka is one of the most traffic congested cities in the world with unusual low per capita income of people (about $380) most of whom can’t afford cars. As Bangladesh prospers, congestion will get even worse.

Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of traffic fatality in the world and World Bank considers traffic safety a major public health problem here. Urbanization and more traffic will bring about more traffic accidents. The streets are hostile to pedestrians, the danger and inconvenience of walking or cycling in turn leads people to use rickshaws, CNGs or other motor vehicles which make the traffic more worse,

Mohakhali Flyover: Aiming to ease traffic congestion in the capital, provide better transport services and tackle urbanization problems, the first flyover (a 17.9-metre wide and 1.12-km long bridge) was undertaken at Mohakhali railway crossing in 1996 at Tk. 113 crore, financed jointly by the government and the World Bank. It took 5 years to finalise the process and the contract was awarded to a Chinese Company in Nov 2001. The flyover was completed and opened to traffic in Nov 2004.

Gulistan-Jatrabari flyover:
The country’s third flyover (after Mohakhali and Khilgaon flyovers) will be constructed in three and half years, with about Taka 700 crore private investment under BOOT (build-own-operate-transfer) system. The foundation stone for construction of Jatrabari-Gulistan flyover, the first such project to be built through private investment without involving any government fund or foreign loan support, was laid in June 2006. Dubai-based Belhasa-Accom and Associates Ltd will construct the flyover under the supervision of the DCC.

The 4-lane, 8-km long flyover, which is now under construction, is the third flyover in the country and also will be the longest one. The Dhaka-Chittagong highway, Dhaka-Maowa highway, Demra road, Syedabad Bus Terminal, Dayaganj, Hatkhola and Gulistan roads will be connected through this planned flyover. This flyover would resolve unbearable traffic jams at Jatrabari, Sayedabad, Motijheel, Gulistan, Dayaganj and Wari areas. It will also ensure smooth communication with Chittagong, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet divisions.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Khilgaon flyover, Dhaka


In 2002 - flyover under construction

Completed

Birds' eye view of the Khilgaon flyover

Photo credit: tmac








A train on the move

Labyrinth - known as 'Jilapir pyanch' (the convolution of a Jilapi)

Khilgaon, near 'Bishwa' road

Khilgaon Flyover:
To ease the nagging traffic congestion in the city center, the country's second and biggest fly-over was constructed at the busy road-rail intersection near Khilgaon, connecting Rajarbagh in the south, Malibagh in the west and Sayedabad in the east. According to the LGED, people of the eastern region of Dhaka had to lose three and a half hours everyday, as the rail crossing would close around 72 times a day to allow passage of trains. Those people are now able to move without much delay.

Construction of this 1.9-Km long and 14-metre wide flyover, having 543 piles, began in 2001 at a cost of Tk 81.75 crore, including expenses for land acquisition and compensation to the affected people. The flyover has a 780-metre main bridge and three ramps. The length of the flyover towards Sayedabad is 303 metres, Malibagh 190 metres and Rajarbagh 285 metres. The ramp towards Sayedabad is 220 metres, Malibagh 202 metres and Rajarbagh 222 metres. The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) built and opened to traffic in March 2005.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Banani, Dhaka


Airport road near Chairman-bari road, Banani





Airport road-Banani, Kamal Ataturk Avenue on right

Kakoli Bus stand south of Kamal Ataturk Ave. Banani

Mosque on the private plot of once Governor E.Pakistan late Monem Khan - near USIS Banani

Govt. staff quarters, Airport road, Banani


Kamal Ataturk Ave. Banani

ABC Tower, Kamal Ataturk Ave. Banani

UAE-Bangladesh Friendship Market, Banani

North west view, Banani

Road 17, Banani - noted for many private universities



Busy universities with no parking areas



Mosque, south of Banani super market

View of road 11, Banani





View Kamal Ataturk Ave - from Gulshan 2

Apartments, Road 16, Banani Bl-B


Road 23, Banani Bl-B

Plenty of trees yet on road 23, Banani

Canadian school, Road 23, Banani block-B

Apartments, Lake side



Lake side view, Banani south

For more pictures of the city, please go to Skyscrapers and Cityscape

Friday, March 23, 2007

View along Panthapath-Karwanbazar-Banglamotor-Shahbagh road


Concord Tower, Panthapath----------------------------Square hospital

Panthapath road

Panthapath road going east

Panthapath-Green road intersection

Green road - south view

Apartment north of Green road crossing

Panthapath road - south view

Basundhara City Mall on Panthapath

City view from Basundhara City Mall


View of Panthapath, west side

From top of Basundhara City Mall

View of Kathal-bagan from Basundhara City Mall


Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, far end

Karwanbazar commercial buildings through glass wall


SAARC fountain intersection

Sonargaon road towards Panthapath

Sonargaon Extension road towards old Elephant road

Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel - west fence

View of New Eskaton area


Sonargaon Extension road towards old Elephant road (Hatirpul)

Pantha-kunja (boys' playing cricket)

Pantha-kunja Tower

View of New Eskaton apartments

Concord tower, Banglamotor

Sonargaon Extension road turns to join Banglamotor crossing

BIRDEM, Shahbagh road north

Road towards Shahbagh crossing

Happy kids on rooftop, Property Enclave, New Eskaton

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Dhanmondi Lake and around

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

View between Gulshan-1 and Mohakhali


Gulshan-1

Gulshan-1 crossing

Gulshan-1 Market and Masjid (Mosque)

Gulshan-Mohakhali Road

Apartment blocks







Kamal Ataturk Avenue towers in the background

Kaderia tower

Spidermen at work on rope ladder

Iraqi Masjid

Mohakhali view from Iraqi Masjid compound

Mohakhali view




Saturday, March 17, 2007

Azimpur Colony, Dhaka


Bird's eye view of Azimpur colony - year 2002

Weekend view of Azimpur road near Eden Girl's college

This building south of Azimpur graveyard road was formally opened in 1950-51 by the then PM

View of central portion

Buildings north of Azimpur graveyard road was allotted in 1953-54 to the Italians Engineers and Consultants of Pak-Italian Dev Corp engaged in road construction of Dhaka-Tongi-Joydevpur-Tangail road in the 50's.

North of 'China building', Azimpur

East west road across the middle of colony to Sk. Shah Bazar

Historical 'Chapra Masjid' on right (near Daira Sharif)

'Chapra' Masjid

Once popular Community Centre for wedding parties

New buildings near Azimpur graveyard

The semi permanent MLA 'Party Centre' (Sadashyya bhavan) once stood around

Agrani Girls' High School

Aging Sir Salimullah Orphanage - south of Azimpur colony

Once maternity center, now Family Planning Directorate - east of Orphanage

Extension of Azimpur Girls' school over Plassey area

BUET : new academic buildings coming up in Azimpur area, north of Azimpur Girls' School

Famous Salimullah Muslim Hall

Fuller road, between Salimullah Muslim Hall (left) and BUET, Dept. of Architecture (right)

After partition in 1947, the arrival of large numbers of Muslim population from India led to a 103% increase of population in Dhaka, which in turn led to new settlements in the vacant areas within the city as well as in the outskirts. Dhaka was then a small urban area of 6-7 square miles. Initially the official needs were fulfilled by appropriating the government buildings in the Ramna area built for the provincial capital of East Bengal and Assam (subsequently annulled in 1912).

To tide over the acute residential crisis, Government hurriedly built about 44 number of 3-story apartment blocks, each with 12 flats at Azimpur in the year 1949. Masonry houses and construction materials were scarce in this part of world. The concrete roof slabs of Azimpur buildings were thus built with the left-over perforated steel plates (PSP) of the British army used in WWII for temporary runways of light aircraft and fencing instead of standard MS bars.

Azimpur once known as a residential area of the nobles during Mughal rule, became barren and abandoned during British occupation as their numbers diminished and many had left. The area turned into a jungle, and the eastern portion had large tract of mango plantation. Azimpur colony area initially encompassed the land north of West End High School to Azimpur graveyard road, keeping Chapra Masjid and 'Daira Sharif' on the west, and Plassey barrack on the east. 4-5 buildings for bachelor staffs were built in Plassey area, north of the Daily Azad. Later, more spacious flats were built in the open space north of Azimpur graveyard road (Baby Ice Cream and Army recruiting office) towards the present New Market. Govt. Officials of all kinds - civil, military and Anglo-British staffs serving in Police, Fire Service and Railways were given allotment in Azimpur. The semi-permanent building of 'Party House' (Sadashyya bhavan some jeeringly called 'Dashyyu bhaban') for the then Member of Legislative Assembly was built on the north east beyond the colony area. Agrani Girls' school came up there at a much later stage. The Italian Engineers of Pak-Italian Corp engaged in the construction of Dhaka-Tongi-Joydevpur-Mirzapur road were provided accommodation in the buildings facing the pond (posted above). After independence of Bangladesh, Azimpur colony was expanded further, with addition of new 5-story buildings, 'Walk-up', and raising the old buildings with one additional floor.

It won’t be out of place to mention that most of the top officials of the then-East Pakistan (later Bangladesh) once stayed in Azimpur colony. The colony was a nurturing ground of the first generation of Bengali talents who rose to top positions in political, administration, trade, intellectual and cultural fields of the country. The colony 'Community Centre' and it's field in the 50's and 60's was the most sought after place for wedding ceremonies and holding cultural functions.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

View: Gulshan 2


Gulshan 2

Gulshan 2

Gulshan tower

PLB tower

Gulshan 2

Baridhara lake (Mariam Tower)

Gulshan-2, towards Baridhara

Baridhara-Gulshan lake (south)

Banani-Gulshan lake (north)

For more pictures of Gulshan area:
Gulshan-2
Gulshan-1 and Mohakhali

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Zia-Uddyan (garden) and film shooting




View of Crescent lake north of Parliament building, SB Nagar

Bridge connecting the Parliament building and Zia-Uddyan (garden)

Weeping Willow trees lined up the lake

Spot for recreation

Curious crowd watching shooting of film - "Pati Shakti"

Popular lead actor 'Ferdous' preparing for action

There he goes - shot okayed

Visitors crossing over bridge

A good place for promenade

Tiny tot and family strolling around

Garden laid in graphical pattern


Museum and Masjid at Zia- Uddyan

Grave chamber of late President Zia-ur Rahman

View from south

Zia's grave inside chamber viewed from north. The bridge and Parliament building roof seen in the background.
(for pictures of Parliament building, Zia Uddyan and Crescent Lake at night, see Dhaka city - by night)

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

More of Tall buildings, Dhaka


Green road apartments

North of BB Stadium

Walso Tower apartments, Paribagh

Renovated Baitul Mukarram shopping centre and high Minaret tower

Golf height, Airport road

View of Road 27, Dhanmondi Residential Area

Bank buildings facing Dilkusha Avenue, Motijheel

Dilkusha avenue, Motijheel

Panthapath Avenue commercial building

PetroBangla, Karwanbazar

Commercial building, Dilkusha Avenue

Janata Bank building - 24 storey, Motijheel C/A

Planners Tower, Sonargaon Extn. road

Eunoos Tower-24 storey, Motijheel C/A

Jiban Bima tower, Motijheel C/A

UTC Tower, Panthapath

Square Hospital, Panthapath

Dhaka City Centre building, a 37 storey commercial building with 9 floors for car park and helipad on top is under construction at Motijheel C/A, and it would be the tallest building of Dhaka when completed.

Monday, March 05, 2007

Dhaka's Spiderman or death trap!


Satmasjid Road, Dhanmondi

Mohakhali (pic Daily Star) commercial area

TMC building, New Eskaton Road

West Tejtoribazar, Dhaka

Picture of 'mechanical cradle' used in highrise buildings in western countries

The photos showing workers hanging dangerously on rope and bamboo ladder on high-rise structures risking their lives are a common sight in Bangladesh. Many poor workers die every year falling from heights and many more are seriously injured. In advanced countries, mechanical ‘cradles’ and ‘mobile elevated work platforms’ are provided in any highrise structure to workers to work on exterior plaster, painting, window cleaning etc. But, such equipments are hardly provided by the builders here. The poor labourers are forced to work on ropes and bamboos with skills of ‘Spiderman’.
The tragic fire of BSEC bldg. Karwanbazar should be a wake-up call for everyone and the authority should force the builders to provide standard safety devices for the labours working at great height.

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Inferno at Karwanbazar and spectacular rescue efforts on 26 Feb 07






BSEC bldg. at Karwanbazar (pic credit daily star)