Demolition of illegal roadside structures ordered

Md Mokhlesur Rahman, senior secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, has instructed the initiation of a demolition drive, including mobile court operations, to remove illegal and unplanned commercial and residential structures along roads and highways.

In a letter issued yesterday to the senior secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs' Public Security Division and the senior secretary of the Roads and Highways Division, he emphasised the need to ensure safe, congestion-free, and smooth traffic flow on roads and highways.

The letter said that the senior secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration had recently visited various district and upazila offices in the Dhaka, Rangpur, Rajshahi, and Mymensingh divisions. During his travels, he observed several management flaws affecting roads and highways.

He pointed out that the movement of non-motorised and slow-moving vehicles disrupted traffic on highways and increased the risk of accidents. He suggested taking legal action to prevent them. Additionally, unplanned markets and illegal commercial structures along the highways contributed to traffic congestion. 

He recommended the removal of all markets established within the highway control zone and their relocation to alternative sites for public convenience.

In the letter, he highlighted that these issues lead to fuel wastage, unnecessary delays for passengers, disruptions in the supply of essential goods, and obstacles to emergency healthcare services. Furthermore, inadequate maintenance and repair work, particularly during the monsoon and disaster periods, exacerbated traffic congestion.

The senior secretary noted that the lack of sufficient traffic laws, signposts, road markings, streetlights, safety barriers, and kilometre posts has also resulted in various accidents. He stressed the importance of implementing essential traffic signs, signposts, road markings, streetlights, and safety barriers as soon as possible.

To address these issues, he requested the senior secretary of the Public Security Division and the senior secretary of the Roads and Highways Division take a series of measures. He emphasised the need for the 24-hour deployment of six police or Ansar personnel in each police station's jurisdiction through roster duty to ensure uninterrupted and safe traffic flow on roads and highways.

In the letter, he also urged the authorities to ensure that all vehicles are equipped with the necessary traffic indicators for night-time driving and that any prohibited lights installed on vehicles are removed to enhance road safety.