By Bernard James
The Citizen Reporter
Dar es Salaam.The construction of a controversial 19-storey building overlooking State House has prompted security concerns, and the government has demanded to know who authorised the project in the area.The Citizen on Sunday has reliably learnt that State House has come down hard on authorities responsible for urban planning and issuance of building permits, requiring them to explain why they approved one of the tallest structures in the city to be built near the President’s official residence and office.
The approval is in breach of urban planning and security regulations, which set a height zone limit of six storeys in the area. The building, which is located on Chimala Street, near Ocean Road Cancer Institute, is a joint venture between Palm Residence Limited and Tanzania Building Agency (TBA).
“The sanctioning of the project is a good example of how urban planning laws are routinely violated even by government agencies,” Land, Housing and Human Settlements Development Permanent Secretary Patrick Rutabanzibwa said.
“We have to reach a point where such irregularly built structures are pulled down…short of that there will never be any discipline in observing construction regulations,” he added.