City Planning Proclamation No. 574/2000 indicates that the task of reconstructing a city is to alleviate urban-related problems, improve living standards, and achieve accelerated urban transformation and efficient land use. The decree also includes urban renewal, upgrading, and land reallocation stressing the importance of reconstructing cities based on structural and environmental development plans with the initiation of administrations, residents and developers.
According to the decree, the act of renovating a city focused on creating a comfortable living and working environment by removing partially or completely dilapidated, old and abandoned structures seen in a city. In the area where urban renovation is supposed to take place, the residents will be informed and discuss about the situation in advance.
Information indicates that the same is happening with the corridor development being carried out by the Addis Ababa city administration. It is also explained that the corridor development is being done by giving primary attention to the people and considering the future generation as well.
Addis Ababa City Administration conducted a discussion with political parties and community representatives as well as heads of religious institutions recently on the implementation of the first round corridor development in the city.
Adanech Abebe, Mayor of Addis Ababa City Administration, said that the main objective of the corridor development is to modernize Addis Ababa and make it a clean, beautiful and comfortable city for its residents and to make it live up its name. It is possible when its infrastructure is fully built and renovated so that its residents get comfortable housing and environment.
“The corridor development is not only for today’s generation, but also for the next generation. Today, we develop it to make comfortable for its residents, to prepare a place where our children can play happily. This is one of the generation building works and it is fundamental,” the mayor said.
As to the mayor, residents of the city should have access to clean housing and recreation, areas for common use and facilities in their respective areas. The city is the home of not only rich people, but also of the low income earners. Everyone should enjoy it equally. It is necessary to make it a place where the movement of traffic is smooth and where car owner can find a better vehicle route. It is necessary to create an opportunity for pedestrians to travel without risk of danger, and to do activities that consider all sections of the society.
The mayor reminded that though they have repeatedly given explanations on the corridor development through the mass media, it is hard to conclude that everyone understood equally in a complete sense. She mentioned that the false information disseminated in this regard attests this reality and she announced that it was appropriate to discuss the issue.
Tilahun Worku, Head of Cabinet Affairs of the Mayor’s Office also presented a discussion point focused on the benefits of corridor development that is changing the face of the city. He said that the first phase of corridor development has been completed and the second phase has been started.
He explained about the historical background of the corridor development, urban renewal, urban development, reconstruction purpose and previous practices.
As to him, though previous leaders of the city have made their own efforts to change it, the capital has remained an unplanned, largely undocumented, slum-like city with unmatched name and task.
The current corridor development is where the city is renewed, modernized, where the city’s reputation and tasks are connected, and where the city is made livable for its people. Cities are not physical structures; they are biological structures that are founded by people, planned and built by people so that they are born, grow, and die.
He mentioned that both the efforts of the first round and the current corridor development should be done to bring life to the city before it dies.
He further stated that the corridor development is being carried out with the intention of building a city that meets the smart city plan that the world has reached. The renovating is done with consideration of internationality, scientific and the legacies that can come from its renovation. He also explained that enough international experience has been taken in demolition, renovation, adjustment, etc. and done accordingly. The first round corridor development has become successful in a short period of time because of efforts of all and commitment of the country’s leaders as well as the mayor and senior leaders of the city who worked day and night.
The ultimate goal of corridor development, as to Tilahun, is changing people’s life. It is to protect the universal, intellectual, spiritual and social prosperity of the citizens. It is being done to make it a life experience for the new generation. To this end, cabinet of the City Administration has passed many decisions by amending many laws which had been bottlenecks to development initiatives.
He said that benefiting small and medium-sized enterprises, which have been suffering for a long time due to lack of market and work is one of the legacies of the corridor development. As a result, many citizens have benefited from job opportunities in this process through market linkage created. There has been a great revival to the extent that a shortage happened in the construction input supplying industry. Many machines have been imported, and production amount is increased by working day and night.
The mayor and her leadership have executed continuous follow up via conducting inspection and monitoring the project at the project management level every day up to nine o’clock at night.
The development was done on the principle that no one should be harmed when infrastructure is laid and special care and respect was given to those displaced because of the development. The leadership from the district to the federal level has been monitoring the corridor development mission every day to make it successful, Tilahun pointed out.
As to Tilahun, there were also challenges in due process. There were some entities who tried to disturb the people by saying that they would leave without discussion on the issue. Sometimes, there were also gaps in the quality of tiles and curve stones on the part of the manufacturers and they were fixed separately.
Another challenge was the issue of many people living in dependence on other families. Though their request is not legal, the city administration has accepted that it cannot throw away these members of the society and has taken responsibility by reaching a special decision. Those who are disabled, the elderly, and those who could not move found a house and moved to another place.
The official also mentioned that the participation of investors was significant in this regard. By coordinating investors and building houses, these members of the society were allowed to enter this house.
Tilahun stated that the first round corridor development has been an amazing success for those who worked in it, and the second round has been kicked off. He added that the second round corridor development is different from the previous one. It is beyond building the development networks in the urban centers; rather it is providing infrastructure to the areas never available before. In so doing, the city has been put into practical work in which it is livable for its residents and a destination for tourists by returning the rivers and riverbanks to their natural status and connecting them with the main city center.
Belayneh Kinde, an investor, appreciated the leadership that works 24 hours, seven days in the corridor development. He stated that the city administration is feeding more than 800,000 students who need food, which is a humanitarian act that makes the country proud. The words; “We were big, we will be big” are no more word of media, but are being seen in reality, he stressed.
A member of the Wolo People’s Democratic Party, Netsanet Tasew, mentioned some concerns to be revisited in relation to the corridor development. He commented that if there are free health quizzes, if street begging law is prepared, and if old vehicles considered as they can be against the status of the corridor development.
Gebru Gebre of the Ethiopian Democratic Union mentioned that they have set up a committee based on the complaints about the corridor development and tried to identify the people’s complaints. They have come a conclusion that there was wrong information.
BY BACHA ZEWDIE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2024
