City landslide puts whole adjoining area at risk

The land subsidence at a construction site beside the Sundarban Hotel in the city's Karwan Bazar area has sounded the alarm bell over an impending disaster, urban planners and other officials concerned have said.
The whole area around the construction site with many multi-storied buildings there has become vulnerable to land subsidence, they warn.
Even moderate rain during the rainy season may cause further mudslide threatening the foundation of the six-storied Sundarban Hotel, already declared risky, and other adjoining structures.
Fearing further land subsidence the authorities imposed on Friday restriction on movement of motorised and non-motorised vehicles and common people through the north-eastern part of CR Dutta Road, which connects Hatirpool with Karwanbazar.
The restriction took effect early on Friday morning after a portion of the footpath of the CR Dutta Road, two billboards and a tree went down in a fresh landslide on Thursday night.
Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Sayeed Khokon visited the spot on the day and expressed his dissatisfaction over the progress in remedial measures.
He told reporters that the city corporation would not take the issue lightly. He instructed the construction firm and the Rajuk to open the CR Dutta Road to traffic by Sunday.
He said the road was made off-limits because of its vulnerability. It created serious traffic congestion and immense sufferings to people.
"I want to see the road open for all by Sunday next. If not, the DSCC will go for legal action against the persons responsible for defying the directive," he said.   
Talking to the FE, Brig Gen Ali Ahmed Khan, Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence, said land under the Sundarban Hotel and the link road became very weak because of collapse of the boundary wall due to faults in construction work for the proposed twin tower of a private commercial bank.
"Even moderate rain may trigger mudslide," he said, adding that construction firms must follow building codes and regulations to avert such incidents in future.
He also said the Fire Service and Civil Defence had requested people around the Sundarban Hotel area to leave the place until the area was declared safe and secure.
Urban planner Mubasshar Hussein told the FE the authorities should immediately speed up remedial activities in a coordinated way to protect lives and properties in the area.
He was very critical of the city development authority, saying that the Rajuk approves the design of any concrete structure and it has a wing to oversee whether the building is being made in accordance with the approved design.
Then, the Rajuk gives the clearance certificate for use of the infrastructure again after a structural check-up.
"But, unfortunately, the Rajuk officials concerned did not strictly monitor the procedures, putting structural safety at risk," he said.
Construction expert Iqbal Habib said time had come to strictly enforce building regulations in low-lying areas like Kathalbagan where a multi-storied residential building caved in a couple of years ago.
"I'm really worried over the fate of Sundarban Hotel and rains could make the situation unmanageable," he said.
The government should consider major changes in the structure of the Rajuk as it has failed to deal with unplanned city development, he added.         
A part of CR Dutta Road and a 120-feet stretch of the alley adjacent to the hotel collapsed on Wednesday morning, bringing down with it a portion of the hotel's boundary wall.
The 15-feet alley between the hotel and the construction site of NBL Twin Tower caved in and fell into a ditch dug for piling.
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