DILI, 26 october 2021 (TATOLI) – The Ministry of Planning and Territory (MoPT) sensitized urban planning law (Law No.6/2017) to community leaders and relevant entities of the Dili municipality.
Urban planning is the art of giving shape, design, and structure to cities and towns. It involves various processes like arrangement and designing of buildings, transport systems, public spaces as well as good amenities.
“MoPT exists to establish the urban planning instruments. The planning instrument will give us ways to set out policies for the national development of the country,” Minister of Planning and Territory, José Maria dos Reis made the comments at the City-8 Hall in Dili, on tuesday.
Reis said without urban planning instruments or urban planning law would lead Dili into a disorganized city: “The April 4 flash flood was a lesson learned for us to do something for Capital Dili. Therefore, a technical team of MoPT had sensitized the urban planning law and municipal urban planning in the municipalities. This year our focus is on capital city urban planning and possibly, next year we will be finalizing the national urban planning.”
He said urban planning is important to improve capital Dili from urban risk to resilience.
If an urban area is badly planned, residents face traffic congestion, inadequate infrastructure, unaffordable housing, and are vulnerable to climate change, fire hazards, and flooding. The city and its infrastructure become unsustainable and ultimately hinder the growth of the population and economy.
Planning and design instruments are the starting point for setting requirements for sustainability
In addition, he said the urban planning law is enacted to improve the living environment of residents, and promoting a planned and balancing development in the city, town, and rural settlement: “Urban planning law is the starting point for setting requirement for a rational, integrated and sustainable development of a city like Dili.”
Reis informed that by 2030 the population in Dili would increase up to 500.000 people which is difficult for authorities to manage a small city like Dili with such a big population, adding therefore proper urban planning is needed to stop people from coming into Dili.
Over 21 percent of Timor-Leste’s population live and work in the capital Dili, and they choose to do so because of access to job opportunities and education which is positively affecting their quality of life, according to Timor-Lesate’s 2015 census.
At the same place, Minister of State Administration, Miguel Pereira de Carvalho informed the urban planning law would give ways to Dili Municipal Authority to properly manage the capital Dili.