Run-down buildings at risk of collapse
A dilapidated building at sweeper colony at Bangshal Road in the port city. Photo: ANURUP KANTI DAS
Run-down buildings and faulty structures are at a great risk of collapse here with tremors jolting Chittagong frequently. Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) identified 60 buildings as risky after an extensive survey conducted by three teams. CDA sent a list of risky buildings to Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) in December 2007 for their immediate demolition or conservation after remodeling or reconstruction. The buildings are mostly located in the old parts of Nandan Kanon, Loyal Road, Hazarigoli, Anderkilla, Ghat Farhadbeg, Chaktai, Terri Bazar, Miah Khan Nagar, Patharghata, Bandle Road, Alkaran, Station Road, Madarbari, Nalapara, Goshiledanga, Agrabad, Patantuli and Moghaltuli. The buildings included a 150-year old run-down one-storey building at Charchaktai Chalpatti Road, 110-year-old two-storey Kobiraj Building at JM Sen Road and 105-year-old “Malum Bari” of Madhyam Halishahar. There are eight 90- to 100-year-old buildings, 17 buildings of 80- to 90-year-old, 10 buildings of 60- to 70-year-old and 11 buildings of 50- to 60-year-old while 11 others between three to 45 years. Those aged between three to 45 years were identified as risky mostly for becoming tilted or developing cracks due to faulty design or construction in deviation of approved plans, said the sources in CDA. The CCC at a meeting on July 30 in 2008 decided to demolish such risky buildings. The meeting participated by building owners, tenants and officials concerned with the then acting mayor M Manjur Alam in the chair ordered demolition of the buildings for the sake of safety of lives and properties. CCC demolished its century-old office building at Anderkilla and owners the Kobiraj Building while the risky buildings like Paharika Girls High School of Nandan Kanon Buddhist Temple Road, City Hall (Cinema Palace) of Loyal Road, Nasirabad TTC Administrative and Workshop buildings and two huge commercial-cum-residential buildings of Dewanhat and Barik Building intersections are standing till date raising fear of collapse anytime. When contacted CCC Chief Town Planner Architect Rezaul Karim said progress is little in taking measures against risky buildings since changes took place in mayoral as well as in other posts of CCC during the last two years. Moreover, there are some legal suits over possession of around 22 of the enlisted buildings while division in governing body hampered demolition or reconstruction of Paharika Girls High School. However, immediately after taking office Mayor Md Manjur Alam approved the decision regarding the risky buildings. The day before leaving for Saudi Arabia on Sunday to perform “Umrah”, Manjur ordered to form five committees each headed by one executive engineer to report about the present state of the risky buildings under five CCC zones,” said Rezaul on Monday. Some buildings, including CCC owned one at Sweeper Colony and Bangladesh Railway owned one at Ambagan, remained outside the list though lying in a most dilapidated condition. CCC Public Relation Officer Saifuddin Ahmed said initiative is being taken to reconstruct the risky buildings at Sweeper Colony and elsewhere following the direction of the mayor. “Steps should also be taken against some high-rise buildings constructed in deviation of plan. Many of them are also housing garment factories posing a risk of massive casualty of life if collapse,” Saifuddin said. Rezaul and Saifuddin called for making a fresh list of run-down and faulty structures. CDA Chief Town Planner Shahinul Haq Khan said fresh survey should be conducted to prepare a new list of risky buildings and faulty structures. CDA conducted a survey on some 900 buildings. Of them, 600 were constructed in deviation of the plan. Talking to The Daily Star, CDA Chairman Abdus Salam on Monday said they will start a drive against the buildings constructed in gross violation of the building construction (BC) rules, disturbing urban environment, neighbourhood alongside standing in the way of planned growth and beauty of the city. Salam said they are also thinking of making a survey on buildings that might have become risky after the existing list of “risky buildings” prepared in 2007.
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