RCC's Tk1,230 crore footpath under encroachment

The dwellers in Rajshahi city have been facing severe hardship due to the state of the footpath infrastructure. Despite the existence of footpaths worth approximately Tk 1,230 crore, residents claim that a significant portion of these paths has been unlawfully occupied.

Locals said that in various areas of the city—Kajla Gate, Motihar, Bhadra, Saheb Bazar East-West, Rajshahi Medical College Hospital area, Sonadighi intersection, New Market, Alupatti and Uposhohor—the footpaths are almost completely encroached upon.

As a result, pedestrians have no place to walk, and are forced to take to the main road, which increases the risk of traffic congestion and accidents.

A local entrepreneur has claimed that a persistent cycle of encroachment on footpaths and the payment of rent has been ongoing for an extended period. He asserted that the extortion practices that were prevalent in the past continue to exist, albeit with some modifications, yet the same level of control remains in place.

A patient traveling from Sapahar in the Naogaon district for treatment expressed that accessing the hospital area is challenging due to the encroachment on the city's sidewalks, making it difficult to transport patients amidst the traffic congestion.

An employee at Tripti Restaurant mentioned that although the mobile court occasionally carries out raids, there is no lasting solution; when vendors are removed from one location, they simply re-establish their shops in another area.

Residents of the city have expressed their concerns regarding the unlawful establishment of various items, including flowers, fruits, clothing, and food stalls, on the sidewalks. This issue is particularly pronounced near the hospital, where the increase in crowds and traffic congestion has intensified due to the continuous operation of food establishments.

Md. Mostafizur Rahman, the Public Relations Officer of Rajshahi City Corporation, informed Views Bangladesh that the RCC manages 45 kilometers of sidewalks, with an average width of 6 feet. Raids are periodically carried out to remove illegal establishments from the sidewalks, and there is hope that this situation will be brought under control. An analysis of the available data indicates that when calculating the length of 45 kilometers and a width of 6 feet, it amounts to 61.515 bighas of land. At a cost of Tk20 crore per bigha, the total value reaches Tk1,230.3 crore.

Dr. Md. Abdul Halim, a Professor in the Department of Material Science and Engineering at Rajshahi University, stated to Views Bangladesh that the sidewalks should be exclusively used for pedestrian traffic. The solution lies in enforcing the law to safeguard this space.