Leaseholder builds market on rly land violating rules
Leaseholder of this land, owned by Bnagladesh Railway authorities in Joypurhat municipality, has continued work for a market comprising 114 shops although the lease contract, to be renewed on yearly basis, does not allow any such construction. The photo was taken a couple of days ago.Photo: STAR
A leaseholder is building a concrete structure for a market comprising 114 shops on Bangladesh Railway land in Joypurhat municipality although the lease agreement does not allow any such construction. Besides, the lessee did not obtain from the municipality authorities any approval for plan which is mandatory for any concrete structures under its jurisdiction. Joypurhat municipality authorities issued three notices signed by Mayor Md Abdul Aziz Mollah on February 27, March 7 and April 5 to the lease holder, asking the leaseholder to submit plan of the market, according to the official records of Joypurhat municipality. Following the last notice on April 5, the leaseholder submitted an application for approval of the plan on Sunday, municipality sources said. "Only temporary structures can be made on such a leased land. But no lessee is allowed to construct a permanent structure, especially with concrete roof, there. We will take necessary steps if the work for the structure continues in violation of the rule," said the mayor. Railway sources said that they leased off 9,111 square feet area near Gate-1 of Joypurhat Railway Station to Raj Kumar Khoitan Raju on October 9, 2011 for Tk 1,37,115. As per the agreement the lease needs renewal every year, if it is to continue. The market with concrete roof is being constructed on 14,000 square feet land, said railway officials. Kamal Hossain, the supervisor of the construction works site, said his employer 'obtained' the remaining railway land later. The site officials declined to show any documents of the contract. According to the Joypurhat Railway officials, the land had been leased to Gopal Kumar Khoitan, father of present lessee Raj Kumar Khoitan, since January 2, 1993. Last year Raj Kumar Khoitan took over the land from his father and started the concrete construction work early January this year. Works of 40 rooms have already been completed. When contacted, Md Abdul Hamid, assistant station master of Joypurhat Railway station, said, "I informed my higher officials about the gross violation of the lease agreement. At one stage the construction work remained suspended for a few days, but later it restarted due to mysterious reasons." Construction of the market will create problem when the shops will be rented to people as the railway authorities have right to get back the land any time if required, said an official of Parbatipur Railway seeking anonymity. Sources said estimated price of each of the shops at the market would be Tk 3 to 4 lakhs, depending on sizes. Raj Kumar Khoitan Raju, the lease holder, could not be contacted for his comment as his cell phone was found off. Asked about their inaction regarding the market construction on the leased land, a few high officials of Bangladesh Railway (Western Zone) declined to make any comment.
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