The new Dhaka Structural Plan (DSP) has been proposed with a vision of "making Dhaka a liveable, functional and resilient metropolis respecting local socio-cultural fabric and environmental sustainability."

Very nice! But the question is, how are we going to achieve this and what are the ramifications of the proposed strategy?

One may recall that Rajuk took up the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) project in 2004 and completed it in 2010. The primary objective of DAP was to implement zoning rules within the Rajuk area. The biggest failure of the existing DAP has been in its enforcement. There have been rampant violations of the zoning laws and Rajuk has been a silent spectator of this debacle. The fact is, Rajuk does not have the manpower or the infrastructure or the political clout to enforce rules.

The proposed building rules aim to reduce the built-up density of Dhaka. The Dhaka Metropolitan Region has a density of 245 people per hectare, which is indeed high. However, Cairo has a population density of 320 people per hectare and Mumbai has about the same too. The point is, it is unrealistic to compare our population density with that of cities such as New York or London. Dhaka is the metropolis of a country whose economy is growing at more than 8 percent per annum. This means there is a huge migration of people from all over the country to Dhaka. I agree that the quality of life in Dhaka leaves much to be desired, but I do not agree with the knee-jerk proposal presently on the table which aims to make Dhaka more liveable by changing the building construction rules.

From the newspaper reports we gather that there will be new height restrictions on the buildings being constructed in the city's central area. Building heights will be limited from 4 to 7 stories depending on the area. In 2008, we adopted the "Floor Area Ratio" (FAR) concept for determining the built-up area and thus the height of the building. FAR is the most commonly used metric by town planners everywhere for controlling the built-up area. Therefore, if the authorities wish to reduce the built-up area density of the city, all they have to do is to change the permissible FAR. There is no need for irrelevant metrics like the maximum permissible height of the building. While it is being proposed that the maximum permissible height of the buildings in different parts of the city will be between 4-7 stories, no clear indication is given about the maximum ground coverage. If the proposed height restriction is implemented with the existing ground coverage rules, the interest of inhabitants in the city may be seriously jeopardised.

Apart from devaluing the most valuable asset of so many citizens, the vagary of the new rules puts the entire real estate development industry into a tailspin. What if we sign a new deal based on the present allowable built-up area and then the new rule suddenly comes into force and the new built-up area no longer makes the project viable? This may well lead to litigation between the developer and the landowner. With all this uncertainty, many developers have put a pause on signing new deals till the situation is clear. What damage is this doing to the economy? The real estate industry contributes about 15 percent to the GDP of the country. For every month lost in this uncertainty, the country's economy is suffering a body blow.

Our authorities need to focus on the real reasons why our city is gradually becoming uninhabitable. The problem is not with the current building construction rules—it's in the failure of Rajuk in enforcing the rules. There is scant respect for zoning laws. Industries are operating in zones shown as urban residential. Schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, hotels and restaurants are operating with impunity without approval in the residential zones. Land grabbers are constantly filling up water bodies under the nose of the regulators. Rivers, which are the lifeline of our city and indeed the country, are being killed by the dumping of industrial waste. We do not have safe drinking water. The process of garbage collection and recycling is a mess. The roads in most parts of the city are dilapidated. Traffic control is a shamble with pollution-spewing vehicles plying our roads. In comparison to the suffering of the citizens due to the mismanagement of the city, the population density of buildings constructed within the ambit of the existing building rules is totally inconsequential.

We have a free market economy. Private-sector residential development happens because there is a need for housing. If this development is curtailed, where will people find housing? The logic that curtailed development in the central city will push people to the outskirts does not hold water. The fact is that unlike the developed countries, where suburban living is common, the road and transport infrastructure of Dhaka is totally inadequate to support a large number of people traveling to the city centre every day from the suburbs to earn their livelihoods. Even today, the cost of residential accommodation in Savar and Gazipur is much lower than in the city centre. Why then are people not settling in these suburbs and commuting to work in the city centre?

The present line of thinking of our town planners is dangerous. Not only will it fail to create new developments in the suburbs because of the lack of an efficient transport infrastructure, it will also curtail the real estate development industry. It will also cause acute housing shortage in the city while devaluing the prized asset of many inhabitants. Such major decisions should not be taken without consulting the important stakeholders. The Institute of Architects has already voiced its concerns about the proposed plan. I am sure that the association of real estate developers (REHAB) will also have objections to this short-sighted proposal. An error of judgement on such an important matter can have very serious consequences on the future of the city that we love so much.

Arshi Haider is founding chairman of Building Technology and Ideas Ltd.