CDA plans to demolish illegal, unplanned structures

A huge market building narrows down the entry point of wide Bayezid Bostami road to such an extent as to cause a constant traffic jam at Sholoshahar intersection. PHOTO: STAR

Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) has planned to launch a massive drive to demolish illegal and unplanned structures that hinder expansion of city roads and intersections.

It also plans measures to expedite acquisition of land in this regard.

The CDA taskforce at its meeting last month decided to demolish structures around Bahodderhat and Muradpur intersections and adjoining areas, Agrabad Access Road, Sholoshohar Rail Gate No. 2, Reazuddin Bazar and Anderkilla areas.

The taskforce also decided to face legal suits filed against demolitions according to the suggestion of the lawyers to remove the structures in and around Sholoshahar Rail Gate No-2 area, sources said.

Owner of the market building got a High Court injunction against the demolition of the structure.

A good number of structures stands in the way of implementation of a project that CDA took up for expanding roads and developing some vital intersections in the city at a cost of Tk 8 crore, sources said.

The intersections to be developed are at Bahodderhat, Muradpur, Sholoshahar, Pathantuli and Anderkilla. Traffic jam has become a common scene in the intersections.

To that end, CDA had removed a good number of structures at Bahodderhat intersection recently according to the suggestions of the taskforce formed to help expand roads in the city, sources said.

A market building and graveyard on the east and west sides of the wide Sholoshahar-Bayezid Bostami road narrowed the entry point at Sholoshahar Gate No.2 intersection that connects CDA Avenue of Nasirabad in the south and Hathazari Road in the north, sources said.

With an impregnable gridlock round the clock, the road turns into a total mess at this point in front of the market. It adversely affects smooth vehicular movement to and from Chittagong Cantonment, Chittagong University and northern townships of the district, including Hathazari, Raozan, Rangunia, Kaptai and Fatickhhari, CDA Assistant Town Planner Shaheenul Islam Khan told the taskforce meeting.

The taskforce meeting with its President Ahmad Khalil Khan in the chair decided to hold open forum discussions with the members of the civil society as well as people from all walks of life in this regard.

It also took decision on determining a new alignment for the road stretching from Panchlaish interjection to Muradpur Rail Gate No. 1 with a width of 72-ft and fixing new alignment for Muradpur intersection with 100-ft radius.

Meanwhile, CDA identified some 80 risky buildings and 50 illegal structures for demolition as they were either hindering development of the city or posing a threat to the lives of the city dwellers.

Many of them had not followed the CDA approved designs while some were raised without approval from CDA, sources said. The practice was blamed on a section of dishonest inspectors.

It identified such buildings at Anderkilla and some other illegal structures (already constructed or under-construction) along the busy city street stretching from Reazuddin Bazar to Station Road.

The CDA will demolish those structures and take stern departmental as well as legal action against the concerned inspectors soon, sources said.