Public space dwindles in Yangon

By Kyaw Phone Kyaw   |   Wednesday, 27 May 2015

High-rise buildings are sucking up Yangon’s air and water, suffocating its inhabitants, say space-starved residents. According to a recent survey, the once-green city offers its residents “almost zero” public space.

Children play football on a condominium rooftop in Yangon, where residents complain of the lack of public space caused by the housing construction boom. Photo: Phyu Phyu Zin

U Than Moe, who works with the UN-Habitat Urban Research and Development Institute, said Yangon’s city dwellers have only 0.37 square metres of public space per person. The figure comes from a survey conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japan’s Ministry of Land and Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

“Public space available to the people of Yangon is almost zero,” he said. “In the past, Yangon was called a green city, but not anymore.” He added that Singapore and Bangkok have 10 times as much space per person as Yangon.

“They should create more open spaces instead of building wherever they see vacant ground,” said U Than Moe.

The relentless pace of development over the past few years has taken its toll.

“Parks are rare in Yangon,” said Ko Myo Min Oo, a resident of Mingalar Taung Nyunt township. “Even townships that have parks close them at 6 pm. Whenever they see a vacant lot, all the authorities think about is its possible business use. Now, if we want recreation, we go to the shopping malls.”

A resident of Botahtaung township, Ko Kyaw Zin Tun, said, “Honestly, I feel as if I’m suffocating. The city is hotter. Where there are recreation areas, they aren’t clean or green. Now, if we want fresh air, we have to go outside the city.”

The Yangon City Development Committee does not agree. U Ko Ko Lin, chief of services for the Playgrounds and Parks Department, said YCDC had inherited only 43 playgrounds from its predecessor authority, and had added more than 50 new ones. In the past, there were 58 parks in the 33 townships under YCDC jurisdiction. He said 23 had been upgraded and 21 were regularly maintained. “No parks or playgrounds are being destroyed,” he said.

YCDC has also scrapped entrance fees for most of Yangon’s parks and reports a rise in the number of visitors.

But two parks in Yankin and Tarmwe townships are being converted to high-rise car parking, according to residents. And former student leader U Ko Ko Gyi of 88 Generation has joined a protest mounted by the residents of South Okkalapa township get back a park from a construction company.

“The authorities should not be so greedy,” said Ko Myo Min Oo.

U Win Myo Thu, the managing director of EcoDev, also warns that the high-rise buildings might threaten Yangon. “If every single high-rise building extracts underground water. It will damage the city’s health,” he said.
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