Concreting Uttara Lake is how to kill it

On a recent morning, sixty-year-old Md Yamin was taking his regular walk along the lakeside road in Sector 7 of Uttara, reflecting on the changes in the area he had witnessed. He has seen all the water bodies in Uttara vanish over time. It is only Uttara Lake now. But, that too is dying.

The lake has already shrunk significantly due to encroachment and pollution, and now Yamin sees construction work along the lake banks that has been going on for the past decade. Apparently, in an effort to improve the lake's appearance, concrete blocks are being laid from the lakebed to the edge.

"Work on Uttara Lake's first phase started around 2014 or 2015. It paused at times; and now one-fourth of the lake has been dry for two years," Yamin sounded frustrated while talking to The Business Standard.

"Concrete blocks now line the lake's edges, making it look like a swimming pool. Covering the lake bottom with concrete is a waste of public funds." 

He added, "This money could have been used to maintain the lake and provide seating for the  residents."

Other residents of the neighbourhood and urban planners share Yamin's concerns, believing the underwater concrete paving is a waste of money.

The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) is responsible for Uttara Lake's upkeep, overseeing a development project costing around Tk91 crore. Initially approved in 2014, the project's completion has been extended multiple times and is now expected by June 2025.

Escalating costs without benefit

Architect Iqbal Habib, vice-president of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa), criticised the project, saying, "Including unnecessary concrete work in any project increases costs.

"Concrete blocks are typically used to protect coastlines from erosion caused by strong currents and waves, which is unnecessary for Uttara Lake. Therefore, laying concrete embankments here is a misuse of government funds."

He said, "Prolonging projects unnecessarily increases costs and opens the door to unethical gains for some. The government should look into these issues before approving such projects. Prolonging projects year after year is simply a waste of money."

Inforgraph: TBS

To be finished by December?

Major General (retd) Md Siddiqur Rahman Sarker, chairman of Rajuk, told TBS, "The project faced delays because we had to remove squatters around the lake. We aim to finish the work by December.

"We have completed most of the lake excavation and embankment work before the monsoon. The remaining tasks will be completed soon. Additionally, tree planting and walkway construction along the lake banks continue, even during the rainy season."

Regarding the installation of concrete blocks, the Rajuk chairman said, "We have placed concrete blocks up to the highest water level based on advice from consultants. 

"These blocks will be submerged and not visible when the lake is full. We followed expert advice to prevent bank erosion. Residents are also pleased with the beautification efforts at the lake."

Half of the project completed

The project, named "Lake Excavation, Sludge Removal, Slope Protection, and Walkway Work at Uttara Lake Development Project," is consulted by Data Expert (Pvt) Limited, with Udayan Builders as the development partner.

According to project officials, work has been completed on two of the four segments of the 2.15km Uttara Lake, with ongoing efforts now focused on the third segment.

Excavation is complete, and concrete blocks have been placed underwater in the two finished segments. Current work includes excavation, embankment construction, and walkway development on the third segment.

To beautify the area, a 4.17km walkway is being built, along with embankment construction and tree planting along the 63.84-acre lakefront.

Project engineers highlight that a significant portion of the expenses for this lake development project is allocated to lining the lakebed with concrete embankments.

A recent visit to Uttara Lake showed that the installation of concrete blocks around the third segment is nearly complete. However, several blocks have already collapsed in a few spots due to inadequate soil preparation. In one area, workers were seen excavating and repairing pipes.

A worker expressed concerns, saying, "The plastic pipes are cracking under soil pressure, which iron pipes typically withstand better when buried. The durability of these pipes remains uncertain, requiring frequent repairs."

The first two segments, despite being completed, still show signs of illegal occupation and pollution. Part of the first segment is taken up by two nurseries built in the middle of the lake. Despite efforts to excavate and embank the lake, these nurseries remain.

The lake is divided into four sections by three crossroads. Along both sides of these roads, which intersect the lake, approximately 30 temporary stalls crop up regularly.

These establishments, along with the nurseries, obscure views of the lake from these areas. Additionally, heaps of garbage are visible in the first, second and fourth segments of the lake.

A nursery employee told TBS, "The owner has rented this place and set up a nursery. I've been here for the last five years. There are many permanent and temporary shops in this area, set up along the lake banks."

Residents want to see an end

Umme Habiba, a resident of Uttara Sector 13, told TBS, "I used to walk along the road, but I didn't know there was a lake on both sides. Just a few days ago, from a bus, I noticed the lake there.

"We already live surrounded by concrete jungles, and the few green spaces we have are also plagued by encroachment and pollution."

Iqbal, residing in Uttara Sector 12, said, "I've been observing the work on the third segment for about a year now. With the onset of the monsoon, I see the work has mostly halted. When will we start reaping the benefits of the lake if development work continues for years?"

Construction firm Convey Group is currently overseeing the lake development. 

Saiful Islam, accounts manager at Convey Group for this project, told TBS, "The most costly aspect of the lake work was removing mud and soil to deepen it. 

"The lake now is 38ft deep, with 16ft slopes of concrete blocks. We've also blocked all home drain pipelines to the lake."

Md Mobarak Hossain, project director and supervising engineer at Rajuk's Uttara lake development project, told TBS, "We've had to scale back our original plans and budget significantly, focusing only on lake excavation, embankment, and walkway construction.

"Evicting illegal occupants and clearing slums from the lakeside posed major challenges. We've completed about 50% of the lake development work."