Editorial
Measures against deviant buildings
So much more needs to be done
It is welcome news that Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) has decided to sever utility connections to buildings that have flouted Rajuk approved designs. Frankly speaking, this serious aberration has been going on with full impunity since the creation of Bangladesh. And we observe with some degree of despondency that since most violators of building acts are influential people in society including a few lawmakers, they managed to go scot-free.
An impression is well-formed in the public mind that a bit of underhand dealings with some corrupt Rajuk officials would make the latter look the other way. All this must change now.
We note with considerable disquiet that absence of required car parking spaces in front of all buildings and high-rises is the foremost of deviations from the approved designs. Furthermore, most of the building owners have converted the parking space into shops, which is only exacerbating traffic congestions.
In its latest drive, Rajuk has already identified over two thousand deviant buildings in the city and has decided to demolish the altered portions after notifying the owners in keeping with the guidelines of the existing building act. The authorities reportedly have taken action in only one or two cases of violation and it intends to continue doing so.
No wonder, Rajuk was overwhelmed by the extent of deviation from the original designs and had no option left but to go for stringent measure. Number 29 of the Metropolitan Building Rules-2008 provides for such action and we understand agencies like Desa, Wasa and Titas have been given instructions to snap electricity, water, and gas supply lines to the deviant buildings already identified.
We regard this as a litmus test for Rajuk to go through the procedure conclusively without any compromise whatsoever. We must say the steps should have been taken long ago but it is better late than never. We hope, after a thorough investigation the full list of the violators would be made public and the laws would be implemented without any let-up. Let Rajuk bear in mind that rules and regulations are just as good as their implementation.
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