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Rajuk firm on returning residential look to illegal commercial plots

The city developer marked 222 residential plots used for business

SULTANA RAHMAN
Rajuk has extended the deadline for restoring illegal commercial plots to their former residential features until September 12 because of floods but sounded firm on cancelling the plot allocations in the event of missing the new deadline.
"The identified plots will automatically be cancelled on expiry of the deadline and Rajuk will not allow any lobbying for further extension, " Rajuk Chairman Shahid Alam told Star City.
The city developer identified 222 residential plots in Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and Uttara, which are used for commercial purpose -- an immense problem for most residents as the runaway commercial growth tampered with the residential features of the areas.
"Rajuk allocated the plots for residences and the law requires that the owners cannot turn them commercial. But plot owners constructed commercial buildings violating town development rules," the chairman said. "We extended the deadline twice before."
Earlier, Rajuk set July 1 and August 12 as deadlines for returning the residential look to the buildings that are now used as restaurants, schools, markets, mini malls and boutique shops.
In the first phase of the project, 20 plots of the 22 in Uttara have already been changed from commercial to residential, while the allocation of two buildings was cancelled. Most commercial plots of 55 in the second phase have been made residential and 145 commercial plots in the third phase have been identified as illegally built on residential plots, according to the Rajuk estate department.
"We will convert all illegal commercial buildings in phases to restore the cityscape to its original look," Shahid said.
The city developer sent notices to 139 owners, asking them to reform the buildings in a month and some of them served legal notices on Rajuk in a counter response. Rajuk also published a warning in newspapers that such allocations would be cancelled.
Rajuk officials claimed that the owners got approval from Rajuk for buildings showing them as residential structures and used them for commercial purpose doctoring the designs.
"Some dishonest Rajuk officials helped them escape penalty, otherwise it would not have been possible to construct businesses in
residential areas," a Rajuk official said, asking not to be named.
Mushrooming commercial buildings in residential areas have become a nagging problem for city dwellers.
"They were given the plots for living there, but later they started running guesthouses, restaurants, shops or other businesses. Now they are coming to the housing and public works ministry to request for preventing others doing business there," another Rajuk official said.
Most residents are happy, as Rajuk has taken action against violators who constructed commercial buildings in the residential areas despite Rajuk rules.
"Traffic jam has increased in the areas as they are abuzz with commercial activity," said a resident of Gulshan area.