Structure to block drain

Construction is going on for extension of a bus terminal (Rangamati, Khagrachhari) on a drain beside busy Muradpur road in the city. Photo: Star

It is constructing a structure on the drain along the highway at city's busy Muradpur area in an unplanned way to extend the booking centre of the Chittagong-Rangamati Bus Stand.

The bus stand on the road of bustling Muradpur and adjoining areas itself was set up illegally a few years back reportedly at the behest of some influential bus owners.

Local people fear the construction may create water-logging to a greater extent and play havoc on the inhabitants in and around the area during the monsoon. "This is another instance of CCC's insensible work and sheer ignorance of the visual beauty of the city," Nazrul Islam, a timber businessman of the area, said.

"We even had objected to the illegal erection of bus stand on the busy highway but all efforts went in vain," he added.

Abul Kashem, another local businessman, said "This area had already earned a bad name of a water-clogging zone of the city mostly due to insensible building of structures at whims." The new construction blocking the important drain would only add further misery to our sufferings, Kashem added.

When contacted CCC chief engineer Abu Taher expressed his ignorance about the on-going construction and said "I took charge of present office only recently and I am not sure if any such work order was given from my office." Taher previously was the superintendent engineer of the CCC. He told this correspondent to contact estate officer or an executive engineer to have proper information on the matter.

Estate officer Ahmedul Haque, however, said "It is just an extension of the booking centre and it would neither block the natural flow of sewerage nor it would slim the span of the drain." Haque said there are many structures on the drain already there for long and the Tk.2 lakh current construction was being done at the request of bus owners.

He, however, said these structures are somewhat 'unplanned' and can not be desirable for the greater interest of a big city. He suggested immediate shifting of all the bus terminals from city centres outside the city to give a better look of Chittagong.