RAJSHAHI, Feb 11: Even after receiving hundreds of complaints every month, Rajshahi Development Authority (RDA) authorities remained unresponsive to take action against the constructions being undertaken by violating the building code in the city.
It is learnt, due to indiscriminate construction of buildings bypassing the code and design, those buildings as well as surrounding buildings are facing the risk of collapse, but no action is being taken against any of violators.
As a result, the number of buildings made by violating plans and building code is increasing in the city day by day.
City dwellers complained, there are hundreds of examples that by procuring a permission to construct five-storied building, the owner is constructing seven storied building there.
Though there are certain rules to leave open space and road beside the buildings in accordance to the height, most of contractors and building owners were not following those. There is no supervision from RDA authorities in connection with the construction of buildings violating the code.
According to sources, a medical facility at Luxmipur in the city has procured permission from RDA to constructed a 13-storey building. The construction works of the building has already started. The pilings of this 13-storied building with three underground parking spaces have been finished several months ago.
The Chowrangi mosque besides the under-construction building has become slanted. Cracks have been formed in a hotel and two buildings adjacent to the under-construction diagnostic centre.
As a result, owners of those buildings and the Chairman of the mosque committee have submitted complaints with the Chairman of RDA and the Mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation to take action to stop construction of the building. But, neither RDA or the RCC authorities has so far taken any measure in this connection.
Anwar Mostafa, owner of damaged hotel informed, the authorities of the medical facility were constructing the building by violating the code. In case of making a multi-storied building, at least five feet of blank space should be left on all sides but the building was being constructed not leaving any such space. As a result, the adjacent mosque has been slanted on neighboring buildings and cracks have been formed in other adjacent buildings. He added, due to such situation, lives of hundreds of boarders at his hotel as well as shoppers and shopkeepers on the first floor of the hotel are at risk.
Abul Kalam Azad, authorised officer of RDA, said the medical facility has been given the permission to make the building by following the code but it seems the authorities of the facility were not following the rules.
He said, the construction work of the building will be stopped and punitive measure taken if they do not follow the rules.
He further said more and more complaints were being filed daily with RDA as the number of construction of multi-storied buildings was increasing now-a-days.
Elsewhere in the city, violation of the code as fixed by RDA was continuing. There is no area in the city where the buildings are being constructed following the code. In Tiakapara area under Boalia police station, relatives of a former minister constructed more than 10 multi-storied buildings without approval of any plan from the RDA. It is alleged the RDA authorities had visited the construction spots but went away without taking any action against them.
Ashraful Haque, chief engineer of RCC, said he was aware of violation of building code by many building owners. He assured of taking proper action in this connection.
