Barishal Correspondent :
Even after a long time, administration has launched an operation to clear illegal structures from both sides of the Dhaka-Barishal-Kuakata highway passing through Barishal city on Monday.
The transport drivers also demanded the eviction of illegal structures from both sides of the highway from Bhurghata of Barishal to Kuakata of Patuakhali.
More than one and a half hundred tin-shed and half-brick shops and establishments have been evacuated in the operation.
Nahidur Rahman, Senior Assistant Commissioner of District Administration said that the evacuation operation is being carried out on both sides of the highway from Sagardi to Dapadapiya Old Ferighat in Barishal City from Monday morning to afternoon.
Members of RAB-8, Metropolitan Police, Fire Service and Civil Defence, Electricity Department are cooperating in this operation as a joint initiative of District Administration and Roads and Highways Department.
At the end of the campaign, the recovered properties will be handed over to the Roads and Highways Department.
Executive Magistrate Nahidur Rahman said, after the inauguration of Padma Bridge, the traffic pressure on the Dhaka-Barishal-Patuakhali-Kuakata highway has increased.
As the Barishal part of the highway is used for traffic entrance of points of the remaining five districts, the traffic pressure and number of accidents have increased several times in this part.
Therefore, the process of eviction of the illegal structures along the highway has been undertaken, the official added.
However, regarding the non-evicting of the two petrol pumps on the highway under evacuation, he said, some parts of the two pumps are located on the highway. But the eviction was not carried out today to avoid risk due to the underground oil tank of the pumps.
However, the two pumps have been given seven days to remove the underground oil-reserve tanks on their own initiative and vacating the space handing over to the road and highways department. Otherwise legal action will be taken against them.
Muhammad Naim Siddiki, sub-assistant engineer of the Roads and Highways Department Barishal, said after inauguration of the Padma Bridge, the intensity of the traffic increased and often disrupted due to illegal structures constructed on both sides of the highway.
Before operating eviction drive, micing has been done for three consecutive times. In this, many people themselves have moved their constructions and those who did not were evicted today. Illegal parts of some structures were demolished. The campaign will be conducted in all the highways under the jurisdiction of Barishal region.
Abid Hossain of Sagardi area said that over the years, cadres of ruling parties had illegally occupied the land of the roads and highways department and constructed structures collecting toll, rent made the roads narrow. Now, if the road construction work is not started soon after the eviction spots, it will be occupied again.
