Uzzal Mallick, the executive engineer of Rajuk's Gulshan office responsible for implementing the walkway project, said the re-demarcation was being done in accordance with the "alignment" of the lake.

Rajuk had previously demarcated the same stretch of the lake's bank with large tree trunks leaving space between the lake and the proposed walkway. Residents there said they were amazed Rajuk was again spending money to encroach on the lake for the walkway.

"They have already demarcated a wide area for the walkway on the bank of the lake. The plot-sized areas now make it evident as to why they are encroaching upon the lake," said Nurul Islam, a resident of Kalachandpur.

Emdadul Islam, Rajuk's chief engineer, yesterday stated over the telephone that he had asked Uzzal Mallick to stop the re-demarcation work. He also said that re-demarcation would not resume until the matter had been investigated.

Rajuk has previously filled in large stretches of Gulshan lake that were later converted into plots and secretly allocated to influential persons.

The walkway project was initially undertaken to demarcate the lake and thus prevent the lake's water body from encroachment.