PWD to lease out encroached land

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Feb. 18: The state Public Works Department (PWD) has agreed to lease out its lands to hundreds of traders on the eastern side of National Highway-34.

Hundreds of small traders have occupied the basement of the Rathbari Flyover illegally. Under the banner of the Malda Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce (MMCC), they have been demanding a permanent settlement of their business under the flyover for several years. The minister of the PWD, Mr Kshiti Goswami, agreed to accept the proposals of the MMCC several weeks earlier. He has leased out the basement subject to terms and conditions. The MMCC will construct stalls for traders at their own cost according to guidelines formulated by PWD engineers. The MMCC will have to follow these designs and vacate some areas to ensure the safety of the Rathbari Flyover. Following the order of the higher authorities of the PWD, the executive engineer of the Malda PWD (Roads), Mr Ram Chanda, has sought proposals from the MMCC including lists of traders.

Mr Chanda has also asked the land acquisition department to provide government guidelines to calculate the rent and salami (one time payment) to be claimed from each trader before finalizing the lease deed of agreement with the traders.

Mr Chanda said: “The MMCC will have to build fire proof structures under the supervision of PWD engineers. We will accept the model structure given by the MMCC after clearance from the fire brigade. No canteen, tea stalls and other fire related stalls will be allowed under flyover. The MMCC has not shown us the model structure yet." According to Mr Chanda, no decision has been taken to remove encroachments under the Rathbari Flyover on the western side of the NH-34 and railway track.

“Following an order from the Malda district magistrate, we have completed an inquiry into encroachments of PWD land and the illegal construction of a building attached to the flyover. Though we have submitted an inquiry report suggesting demolishing the illegal structure to the district magistrate office, no magistrate inquiry has been initiated to take final action against the encroachers," he said. Following a media report, the Malda district magistrate, Mr Sridhar Ghosh asked Mr Chanda, to investigate the illegal construction of a multi-storied building built by a local group of residents in Ward No. 24 backed by the CPI-M.