Mushrooming illegal outlets at Wonderland raise eyebrows

Three food outlets at Wonderland: California Fried Chicken, (below from left) Mr Baker and Western Grill.Photo: STAR

Authorities of Wonderland amusement park in Gulshan are setting up unauthorised restaurants and shops on the park premises one after another adding to public nuisance and traffic congestions in the neighborhood, local residents alleged.
The latest addition is a food court, California Fried Chicken, that faces the park's southwest boundary wall apparently in a bid to cater mainly to the general public and not the park's visitors, they said.
Other shops and restaurants inside the Wonderland compound are open to public towards footpaths in such a way that crowds and visitors' vehicles keep the sidewalk occupied obstructing pedestrian passage, they said.
They complained of public nuisance, traffic congestion and crowds on the main avenue of Gulshan and adjoining internal roads due to operation of Wonderland.
M Abdul Hannan, general secretary of Gulshan Central Masjid and Eidgah Society (Azad Mosque), said, "Deafening sound of music and huge gathering create public nuisance and disturbance."
It is an open playground and children's park, as designated in the master plan of Gulshan model town, and is meant for free public use, he said, adding that it must not be a commercial centre and source of any profit-making venture.
"We want it as an open park with free access for games and strolls," Hannan said. "It was used as a playground before it was leased out for a commercial amusement park."
Fazlur Rahman, vice-president of Gulshan Society, said that private cars parked on the footpath in front of Wonderland create severe traffic congestion on the main avenue. "Particularly, on any occasion or holiday, the crowd causes a chaotic situation.”
The Wonderland authorities have set up restaurants like Western Grill (aircraft restaurant), Park Bistro and a bakery, Mr. Baker, within the amusement park premises placing their fronts outwards along the boundary wall.
Senior vice-president of the Gulshan Central Masjid committee Syed Ahmed said, "Such an amusement park is absolutely irrelevant in a residential area."
The DCC leased out a portion of Gulshan Central Park to Via Media in 1990 to develop the Wonderland amusement park in a way that subsequently caused public protest.
DCC formed a committee comprising chief executive officer, ward commissioner, additional chief engineer, zonal executive officer chief town planner and chief estate officer to file a report on Wonderland amusement park, Shamoly amusement park and Swamibagh amusement park, all three owned by Via Media.
The committee members visited Wonderland amusement park on August 22, 2005 and submitted a report, detailing establishments in deviation of layout submitted by the company along with the tender documents.
According to the report, Wonderland authorities have not got the layout design approved and none of the establishments in zone-A has been set up in compliance with the submitted layout. California Fried Chicken has been set up in this zone recently.
Rides and establishments in all the zones from A to F, as proposed in the submitted layout, have been altered at random with addition of unapproved set-ups, says the report.
Four shops and a storehouse have been set up in addition to the approved establishments in zone-D, according to the report. Commercial gain has been the prime concern instead of recreation as a result of excessive set-ups in zone-E.
Western Grill was set up in zone-C long after the report was submitted.
DCC chief town planner Sirajul Islam, who was on the committee, said that the committee took up the submitted layout plan, compared with the ground situation and pointed out the deviations.
"As per findings of committee, the company has resorted to deviations in many ways from the layout it provided with the tender document," he said.
Managing director of Wonderland, GMM Rahman said, "I had to change the internal layout design in the way of adding new games and establishments."
He said that the site of California Fried Chicken is earmarked for a stall in the layout but they did not build it in the beginning.
The site of aircraft restaurant is also earmarked for an establishment, he said. "It is not mentioned what kind of establishment it would be."
"We have not set up anything beyond the layout," Rahman claimed. "I would have explained any alteration and demolished any unapproved establishments had the DCC called me. But DCC has never served me any notice."
DCC chief estate officer Abu Mohammad Yusuf said, "I am not aware of the issue of Wonderland, as I have just taken over the new position. I will look into it."
Town planners and Gulshan residents question the very idea of depriving the residents of a park, and using it for a commercial venture instead. Such an amusement spot should be set up on the outskirts of the city as in the case of Fantasy Kingdom and Nandan Park, they said.