Rajuk has launched simultaneous drives in various parts of the city to reclaim footpaths, parking spaces that were being used for other purposes. While we laud the freeing up of spaces designated for use of commuters on foot and parking lots in basements, we cannot but have our doubts. Such drives are nothing new in the city. The fact of the matter is that once the drives are over, we see a return of illegal structures and the reoccupation of footpaths by vendors and it is back to business as usual. The whole matter has become repetitive and it will take more than the occasional drive by the city authorities to make the changes stick.

Going by what has been printed in this paper, we find that some owners of shops who had bought space in a parking lot from the owner in Dhanmondi area have been plying their business for nearly 20 years. These businessmen have alleged that they pay taxes to the city corporation. How could this happen? And why action was not taken when the shops were being constructed in an illegal area?

It is obvious that the much hyped and declared drives to free up public or private spaces will not bring the desired results unless rules on paper are enforced throughout the year, every day of the year. Property owners must be fined heftily for wrongful use of parking spaces and floating vendors simply cannot be allowed to set up shop wherever they feel like.