Bidhannagar civic body stops construction of 'illegal' bus stop

The Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation has stopped the construction of the passenger shelter that was being built illegally in the AC block without any permission of the civic body.

This has once again dragged Anindya Chatterjee, Councillor of ward number 41, into a fresh controversy as the contractor, who was building the bus stand, claimed that he undertook the work after being instructed by Chatterjee.

On Thursday morning, residents of AC block found some workers starting the preliminary work needed to build the bus stop. The local people felt that the location where the work to set up the bus stand has been undertaken is not an appropriate position for the same and it in no way would be helpful to commuters.

Moreover, the workers were constructing the bus stop and the passenger shelter just in front of a house at AC-18. The residents of the house tried to stop the workers from continuing their work. The contractor had intervened and told the residents that they had permission to set up the passenger shelter right at that location.

After failing to convince the contractor to stop work till they speak to the civic body, the residents contacted officials of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation. The residents were shocked when they came to know that the civic body had not given any permission to construct the bus stop.

Mayor Sabyasachi Dutta started gathering information about it. Subsequently, officials of the civic

body also intervened and stopped construction of the passenger shelter.

The civic authorities also informed it to Bidhannagar North police station. Policemen went to the spot and picked up the person who was supervising the construction work of the passenger shelter.

The contractor didn't have any documents to prove that he had bagged the order to set up the passenger shelter or the bus stop. But he claimed that he could show it in the evening. He also claimed that the work had been started only after getting the nod of the Councillor of ward number 41.

Dutta said: "The bus stop and the passenger shelter will be set up only after proper consultation with the state Transport department and police. It will come up where the Transport department officials and police suggest as the suitable place and will be helpful to commuters."