Ahsanul Amin George, Khulna :
Around one thousand shops and business centers set up illegally on both sides of railway tracks near at Daulatpur 80 no. rail gate under Daulatpur police station in Khulna city are posing risk of accidents since long.
In the last two months, at least three people were crushed under the wheels of running trains in this portion of the rail route under Khulna-Dhaka section. Recently a banana seller was crushed under the wheels of a train at Daulatpur bazaar. Many grazing cattle were also killed by trains during the period. So many shops (Both brick built and Kacha rooms) were built at both sides of the rail tracks of Daulatpur 80 no. rail gate. Besides, around 150 makeshift vegetables shops were also sit every evening which run till midnight.
According to sources, Daulatpur Bazar committee collect tolls from the shops and as such the shops could not be removed from the rail tracks.
An officer of Railway said, as per railway rules, at least 20 feet area from both sides of railway tracks is restricted zone and for the sake of safety of train passengers, pedestrians and rail tracks, setting up of structures is strictly prohibited.
According to Khulna railway station sources, at least five trains run ten times daily in their up and down journeys using the rail tracks here to and from Dhaka, Rajshahi, Rangpur and other destinations.
On a recent visit, this correspondent found that hundreds of shops and makeshift structures including tea leaves shops, cloth stores, tea stalls, jewelery shops and other shops withi around two kilometers on both sides of the rail tracks.
Besides, a number of damaged rail coaches and wagons are kept under open sky at Daulatpur Mohsin intersection in front of Daulatpur railway station for a long time.
A loco master said, train journey on this route has become risky as shops and business centers werfew built on both sides of the rail tracks, making hard for loco masters of running trains to see much ahead.
It ius alleged that there are some dishonest railway officials who have links with the grabbers of rail tracks.
“We would conduct eviction drives with a view to remove the illegal grabbers of rail tracks within a short span of time, said a high official of the East zone of Bangladesh Railway(BR).
Around one thousand shops and business centers set up illegally on both sides of railway tracks near at Daulatpur 80 no. rail gate under Daulatpur police station in Khulna city are posing risk of accidents since long.
In the last two months, at least three people were crushed under the wheels of running trains in this portion of the rail route under Khulna-Dhaka section. Recently a banana seller was crushed under the wheels of a train at Daulatpur bazaar. Many grazing cattle were also killed by trains during the period. So many shops (Both brick built and Kacha rooms) were built at both sides of the rail tracks of Daulatpur 80 no. rail gate. Besides, around 150 makeshift vegetables shops were also sit every evening which run till midnight.
According to sources, Daulatpur Bazar committee collect tolls from the shops and as such the shops could not be removed from the rail tracks.
An officer of Railway said, as per railway rules, at least 20 feet area from both sides of railway tracks is restricted zone and for the sake of safety of train passengers, pedestrians and rail tracks, setting up of structures is strictly prohibited.
According to Khulna railway station sources, at least five trains run ten times daily in their up and down journeys using the rail tracks here to and from Dhaka, Rajshahi, Rangpur and other destinations.
On a recent visit, this correspondent found that hundreds of shops and makeshift structures including tea leaves shops, cloth stores, tea stalls, jewelery shops and other shops withi around two kilometers on both sides of the rail tracks.
Besides, a number of damaged rail coaches and wagons are kept under open sky at Daulatpur Mohsin intersection in front of Daulatpur railway station for a long time.
A loco master said, train journey on this route has become risky as shops and business centers werfew built on both sides of the rail tracks, making hard for loco masters of running trains to see much ahead.
It ius alleged that there are some dishonest railway officials who have links with the grabbers of rail tracks.
“We would conduct eviction drives with a view to remove the illegal grabbers of rail tracks within a short span of time, said a high official of the East zone of Bangladesh Railway(BR).
