Cumilla city dwellers face hazards of unplanned construction works

UNB File Photo
UNB File Photo

Unplanned and unauthorised construction of multistoried buildings with poor quality materials have become a serious threat to city dwellers as it may lead to severe accidents.

Cumilla City Corporation (CuCC) has already identified such 700 risk-prone structures in the city.

According to the CuCC Engineering Division, 495 buildings are being constructed without any approved designs while 195 without any approval. Besides, 95 buildings have been identified as dilapidated and risky ones.

Visiting various parts of the city, the UNB correspondent found rampant construction of buildings defying CuCC rules and without any approval. Sikder Anwara Castle, Swarna Kutir, Ananda Kanon are some of them.

Shikder Anwara Castle Fire Service failed to get permission from CuCC for not submitting necessary documents, including the certificate from the Department of Environment (DoE).

CuCC Assistant Deputy Engineer (Civil) Abdur Rab Bhuiyan said, “Sikder Anwara Castle is being constructed without any approval from CuCC and defying the building code. Legal notices were sent to them twice -- on 4 August and 24 October – asking them to stop the construction work. But the construction is still going on,” he said.

CuCC Mayor Monirul Haq Sakku said drives will be conducted after 10 January against unauthorised construction. “We’re in touch with the District Administration in this regard,” he added.

Incidentally, One worker was killed and 14 others were injured when the roof of the third floor of an under-construction building of Rupayan Group collapsed on 27 December, 2019 in Kandirpar area of the city.

Additional district magistrate Pintu Bepari said a four-member probe committee has been formed to look into the incident. “We’re investigating all the documents, including clearance certificate and plan of the under-construction building,” he said.

Mayor Sakku said although they did not get any approval initially from the City Corporation, Rupayan Group was given the clearance certificate for construction on that land when they came up with a High Court verdict in favour of them.

Sakku said they will start a drive in the city from 10 January against the developers who are constructing buildings without approval or without having any approved plan.