Rajuk to take action against 198 buildings

DMP lists 344 buildings with no parking space or misusing space...........

Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) will take action against 198 buildings located on busy city roads, the authorities of which occupy the roads for car parking while using their own parking spaces for other purposes.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police identified the buildings through a recent survey as part of its plan to curb traffic jam in the capital and sent the list to Rajuk, asking it for immediate measures.

The traffic department of DMP divided the capital into 11 zones for the survey and detected 344 buildings responsible for traffic congestions, which is a regular phenomenon in Dhaka city.

Of these buildings, 198 park vehicles on roads although they have their own parking spaces while the remaining 146 buildings do not have parking facilities in the plans submitted to Rajuk, DMP officials said.

The DMP conducted the survey on some roads in Hatkhola, Tikatuli, Motijheel, Fakirerpul, Gulistan, Islampur, Sadarghat, Siddeshwari, Golapbagh, Kamalapur, Khilgaon, Malibagh, Rampura, Shajadpur, Badda, Gulshan, Banani, Mohakhali, Tejgaon, Mirpur, Shewrapara, Elephant Road, New Market, Kalabagan, Satmasjid Road and Uttara areas.

Buildings of Bangladesh Bank, Sonali Bank, Dhaka Bank and Uttara Bank are among the most prominent buildings on the list while most other buildings are markets, shopping malls, garment factories, hospitals, diagnostic centres and educational institutions.

"We have identified buildings that have been using their parking spaces for other purposes and parking vehicles occupying city roads," DMP Commissioner AKM Shahidul Hoque told The Daily Star.

"We have sent the list of buildings to the Rajuk authorities, asking them for taking measures immediately," he said. "We also assured Rajuk of providing forces for assistance in enforcing its rules."

At a meeting at the communications ministry on August 20, the DMP commissioner made a commitment to take initiatives to free the capital's parking spaces in association with Rajuk.

Talking to The Daily Star, Rajuk's Development Control Director SK Abdul Mannan admitted that they received the list of buildings. He said they have already sent letters to the authorities of these buildings, asking them to open their car parks.

"On humanitarian grounds, we have given them time up to Eid vacation for taking steps in this regard. After then actions will be launched against buildings that fail to abide by," Mannan said, adding, "We are also publishing advertisements in this regard in different dailies."

Replying to a query, he said, "It will not be possible to go for action against all the buildings, mainly the government ones. We will request them to arrange alternative ways."

Sources said there are hundreds of buildings, which are not on the list, that use their car parks for other purposes and park vehicles occupying roads while hundreds of others have no parking grounds.

According to the DMP survey, buildings in Sutrapur Traffic Zone that use parking spaces for other purposes are Salauddin Bhaban and Russell Centre at Hatkhola, Nabarun Bhaban, Shubhechchha Plaza, Mamun Plaza and Delwar Complex on Shaheed Nazrul Islam Road, and Motaleb Mansion, Ittefaq Bhaban and Inqilab Bhaban on RK Mission Road.

Buildings in Sabujbagh Traffic Zone are Bengal Knitex, Mamtaj Memorial, Update Dental College, Hotel Jamini, Maps Diagnostic Centre and Kamalapur High School on Atish Dipankar Road, Nahar Tower, holding-69/5 and Niloy at Khilgaon railway gate, Malibagh Supermarket at Malibagh Chowdhury Para, Chowdhury Fashion, Malibagh Market, Dragon Tower, Green Tower, Owners' Apparels, holding-475 and Ashraf Fashion on DIT Road, Alam Sweets, Agrani Apparels and Mollah Tower in west Rampura, Altaf Tower, Alauddin Tower, Ambia Point and Hotel Jonaki in east Rampura, holding-58 in east Hajipara, Jamuna Bank at Hajipara, Chand Plaza, and Hotel Miraj in Chowdhury Para.

The buildings in Motijheel Traffic Zone are Adamjee Court, Uttara Bank, Sonali Bank, Bangladesh Bank, Agrani Bank, Janata Bank, Dhaka Bank, Amin Court, Karim Chamber, Toyota Building, Stock Exchange Building, Ejaz Chamber and City Bank at Motijheel, Pubali Bank, Asia Tower, City Bank, Rupali Bank, State Bank of India and Janata Insurance Company at Dilkusha, Shatabdi Tower at Fakirerpul, Jiban Bima Bhaban on Rajuk Avenue and ML Village at Shantinagar.

Buildings identified in Mirpur Traffic Zone are Almas Tower on Mazar Road, Mukto Bangla Shopping Complex, Rabiul Plaza, Baghdad Shopping Complex, Prince Hotel, Bata Bazar-Prince Fast Food, Mukti Plaza, Muktijoddha Huq Plaza, Islam Plaza, Sweden Plaza and holding-9 in Mirpur Section-1.

In Pallabi Zone, Limo Showroom at Senpara Parbata, Hatil showroom at Shewrapara, Probal Community Centre at Kazipara, FIR Tower at Shewrapara, Meen Tower at Shewrapara, Upama Plaza at Mirpur Section-6, Kari Family Shopping Mall at Mirpur Section-6, Patwary Tower at Mirpur Section-11, Sarat Mansion and Mirpur Diagnostic Centre at Mirpur Section-10.

In Dhanmondi Traffic Zone, Haji Joynal Bhaban, Zahir AC Market, Tuhin Mallik Market, Amena Mansion, Minita Plaza, Monsur Bhaban, Hotel D Amazan, Sunrise Bhaban, Gafur Mansion, Jahanara Bhaban, Bata Bazar, Chistia Super Market and Khairunnesa Mansion on Elephant Road.

Fatema Arcade, Dhanmondi Plaza, Badruddoza Super Market, Hawkers' Market, Noor Jahan Super Market, Kashba Centre, New Market, Gausia Market, Chandni Chawk Market, Rafin Plaza, Chandrima Market and Alta Plaza on Mirpur Road.

Zobaida Super Market, Lakeview Super Market and Brothers' Mansion at Kalabagan.

Baku Shah Market at Nilkhet, Mawla building, SS Steel and Chinese Restaurant at Panthapath.

Xinxian Chinese Restaurant, Asia Pacific Engineering, Star Kabab, Prime Bank, Kakoli High School, Almas Shopping Mall and Utsab Restaurant on Satmasjid Road.

In Ramna Traffic Zone, Pir Yemeni Market and Ramna Bhaban at Gulistan, Mouchak Market and Anarkoli Market at Siddeshwari.

In Kotwali Traffic Zone, Sundarban Square and Amin Super Market at Gulistan, Baitul Mir International at Fulbaria, Jahangir Tower at Islampur, Get One Super Market and Sultana Super Market at Sadarghat.

In Mohakhali Traffic Zone, Purbachal, holding-204/B/1, ACC Auto, G Tower, Holding-190, Meghna Group at Gulshan Link Road in Tejgaon.

Holdings H/72, H/61, H/49 and H/79 at Mohakhali and holdings H/79/D, H/79/E and H/79/G at Chairman Bari.

Holding H/79/H, Haji Sahabuddin Mansion, holdings H/83, H/82, H/81, H/80, H/79, H/78 and H/55 at Banani.

In Gulshan Traffic Zone, Gulshan Shopping Centre at Gulshan-1, Haji Super Market, ML Bhaban, Rahman Bhaban, Columbia Super Market, Square Centre and Siddique Tower (East West University) at Mohakhali.

In Badda Traffic Zone, Jamalpur Tower, Confidence Centre, Alliance Building, Suvastu Tower, Tropical Homes and West Wind Paint at Shajadpur.

Fuji Tower and Hossain Super Market at North Badda, AJ Heights, Hakim Tower, Bank Asia, Bepari Configure Tower, Pran RFL Centre, Shamsher Group Ltd, Kazi Shopping Centre, Hakim Plaza and Bhuter Adda Chinese Restaurant at Badda.

In Uttara Traffic Zone, BNS Centre, Sayeed Grand Centre and Mamtaj Mahal Party Centre in Uttara Sector-7, Hayes and Haier at Sector-9, Camp Fire Restaurant, Black Rose Hotel, holding-04 at Sector-6.

Singapore Plaza, Alauddin Tower, HM Plaza, Bailey Complex, Kushal Centre, London Plaza, AH Tower, AB Super Market and Amir Complex at Sector-3, Popular Diagnostic, Apex Gallery, AK Tower and Sea Cell at Sector-4.