RAJUK to launch one-stop service for design approval

An initiative has been taken to launch a one-stop service to make the design approval process of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) easier and faster. Through this, applicants will not have to visit various government offices separately. Arrangements will be made to accept applications from a single designated place and approve designs within a stipulated time.

At the same time, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Housing and Public Works has taken a strict stance to prevent the tendency of unreasonably increasing time and costs in government development projects. It has been decided to verify the necessity of increasing costs and deadlines through regular inspections and monitoring during the project implementation phase.

This information was conveyed to journalists after the first meeting of the committee held at the National Parliament Building on Monday, September 22, by committee member Sheikh Mojibur Rahman Iqbal. The meeting, chaired by committee chairman Md Rezaul Karim Badsha, was attended by members as well as officials of the concerned ministry and agencies.

Regarding the meeting, Sheikh Mojibur Rahman Iqbal said that until now, applicants had to go separately for approvals from multiple government institutions, including the Fire Service and the Department of Environment, for RAJUK design approval. This caused delays as well as increased hassle for ordinary people. A proposal has been made to launch an integrated one-stop service to change this situation. He also said the minister and the RAJUK chairman have agreed to this initiative.

Under the new system, a specific deadline will be set for design approval. Arrangements will be made to grant approval quickly by accepting applications from one place and completing all related processes. He said necessary instructions have been given to the concerned officials in this regard.

The meeting also discussed the unreasonable increase in costs and deadlines through contractor firms in government development projects. The committee said project progress will be reviewed regularly. If necessary, projects will be inspected on-site to verify the justification for increasing time and costs. The committee said action will be taken against those concerned if evidence of any irregularity, lack of transparency or corruption is found.

The issue of constructing low-cost flats to tackle the housing crisis also received importance at the meeting. Sheikh Mojibur Rahman said housing projects are facing problems in implementation due to various complexities in the existing building regulations. In particular, many land developers cannot undertake projects due to complications related to Floor Area Ratio (FAR). These matters are being reviewed through experts. Alongside this, work is underway to formulate the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) regulations and the Urban Housing Regulations. He also said initiatives have been taken to approve the regulations quickly.

The parliamentary committee also said measures will be taken to prevent unplanned urbanisation. The meeting discussed bringing buildings constructed without approved designs under the legal framework through specific fines or punishments, alongside taking action as per RAJUK rules. Reducing public hassle, ensuring transparency in development projects and increasing accountability in government activities have been highlighted as among the committee's priorities.