A group of local influential traders have illegally occupied a portion of the Pilkhana road and its footpaths with makeshift furniture shops, causing much suffering to local residents, commuters and pedestrians in the capital’s Azimpur area.
Although the encroached areas fall under the jurisdiction of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), no permission was sought before setting up these makeshift shops on the public space.
Besides, the walkways have also become a home for several make-shift tea stalls and hawkers, causing frequent traffic congestion and forcing pedestrians to use the road for walking.
“The traders are very powerful as they are linked with different associate organisations of the ruling party,” Shiplu Khan, a resident of Natun Paltan Line in Azimpur, claimed while talking to the Dhaka Tribune.
“Thus, neither the city corporation, nor the police could take any action against them,” he added.
Due to such encroachment, local residents and students of various educational institutes in the area face difficulties in commuting through the road every day.
“I come here every day with my daughter for her school and face difficulties in moving through the walkways because of these furniture shops,” said Rahima Khatun, a mother of a student of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College Azimpur branch.
She also said pedestrians were now forced to walk on the road risking their lives because of these illegal shops.
“It is also causing traffic congestion in the adjoining areas,” she added.
Visiting the area, this correspondent found that the Pilkhana road and its footpaths were occupied by many hawkers and makeshift tea stalls on both sides.
When asked, a furniture shop owner, seeking anonymity, said: “We just keep our furniture products in front of our shops, it should not create problem to traffic.”
“I am doing business here for a long time and in this way, but no one ever told anything to me,” he added.
The Pilkhana road links the Azimpur main road with Lalbagh, Azimpur Graveyard, Natun Paltan Line in the area. The road is also used as a prime route to Kamrangir Char, Hazaribagh, Lalbagh, Nawabganj, Keraniganj and Chawk Bazar.
However, the DSCC claimed that they were not aware of the illegal encroachment.
“We have not yet been informed of such encroachment,” DSCC Chief Executive Officer Md Ansar Ali Khan told the Dhaka Tribune.
“If the road and footpath of the area are kept occupied, we will take steps to free the space from encroachers,” he added.
