Rajuk drive reclaims basement parking lots, roads, footpaths

Rajuk yesterday reclaimed basement parking spaces of buildings and dismantled illegally built access ramps occupying footpaths and road width in Gulshan, Dhanmondi and Uttara in the capital.

The drives launched simultaneously as part of a fortnight-long effort to recover car-park spaces illegally being used for other purposes.

The team partially demolished 174 kitchen shops in the basement car-park at Kushol Centre in Uttara.

Khandokar Zakir Hossain, Rajuk executive magistrate, led the Uttara drive, said the owner illegally built shops in the basement car parking space and sold them off to traders, blocking the entire parking facility.

"It is an arduous task to knock down so many concrete structures manually, as it is not possible to mobilise heavy equipment for demolition," he said, "but we will continue."

Ebadul Haque, president of the shop owners' association, said that they bought each shop at a cost of Tk 2 lakh to 5 lakh since 1996.

"We paid for the shops and have the city corporation's permission and pay tax, why should we be the victims? The owner is now traceless."

Meanwhile, AZM Shafiul Hannan said the eviction team in Dhanmondi knocked down a store and salon in the basement parking space of Chillis restaurant and a kitchen in the basement of Metro Shopping Mall.

The team also demolished a kitchen at Seven Eleven restaurant on road-12 and fined the restaurant with Tk 70,000. They also bulldozed the showrooms of fashion boutique Kay Kraft, Anjan's and Nagordola on road-13.

A mobile court led by Rajuk executive magistrate Md Nasir Uddin helped the Dhanmondi drive. 

Md Adiluzzaman, Rajuk authorized officer, said they dismantled 19 entry passage ramps, which occupied footways and road width.

That apart, the team led by executive magistrate Md Abdul Hamid Mian penalised the authorities of Spectra Convention Centre in Gulshan Tk 2 lakh for extending hall room upon designated car parking space.

The drive will continue consecutively until February 4 except the weekends.