The CDA officials said the drive will be implemented in five phases by July, enabling them to recover vast government land occupied by the grabbers under influence of power. But it will help make the journey of commuters and pedestrians comfortable and trouble-free in near future, they said.

The CDA had conducted a detailed survey of the structures in question in vast areas of the city before formally launching the phase-wise drive at Agrabad Access Road on May 24.

Sources said structures included hospitals, commercial buildings, clinics, shopping centres, malls, CNG refuelling stations, markets, restaurants, hotels, community centres, show rooms and high rise buildings.

"We summarised the survey under three categories so that effective actions can be taken with minimum hazards", said CDA Chairman Shah Md Akhtaruddin.

Sources said the first category illustrates about the organised illegal occupation of government and private land by the grabbers who have power and influence in the society.

The second category demonstrates the soft violation of set-back rules within the limits of sunshade and cornices i.e. 0.5m to 20 inches from the face of the building. Such extensions are done to cover the sewage ducts, extended slabs used for balconies, extended lockers and diversified design of sunshade and louvers etc although not permitted by the authorities, they said.

Akhtaruddin said the third category shows clear violation of setback rules having feeble respect towards the laws. The grabbers are obstinate, insolent and are used to violation.

"These violations are preconceived and predominantly governed by the influence and power. Therefore such cases of absolute violation need to be brought under penalty and dismantling," he said, adding we won't give in to any pressure or influence whatsoever and spare none who are found violators of the laws.

Under phase-1 around 185 illegal structures were detected along a stretch of 22-kilometre areas from Kathgar under Patenga Police Station up to Bahaddarhat Intersection under Chandgaon Police Station. Agrabad Commercial Area, Sheikh Mujib Road, Asian Highway, Agrabad Access Road extending from Port Connecting Road (PCR) to Badamtali, and Dhaka Trunk Road extending from Kadamtali to Olonkar Intersection via Dewanhat Overbridge have fallen in the 22km stretch.

The Phase-2 will cover Station Road extending from Kotwali to Tiger Pass and Buddist Temple Road in Nandankanan via Enayet Bazar to BRTC Bus Stand; Shaheed Saifuddin Khaled Road extending from Press Club in Jamal Khan to Lalkhan Bazar via Asker Dighi and Love Lane, and Jubilee Road and Mehdibag Road extending from New Market to Gole Pahar via Almas Cinema and MM Ali Road.

Under Phase-3, the CDA will evict illegal structures along Zakir Hossain Road and OR Nizam Road extending from Panchlaish Police Station to Foy's Lake; Sholoshahar Road extending from Probartak Moor to Oxygen Intersection and Muradpur Road extending from Panchlaish Police Station to Oxygen.

The Phase-IV will be conducted along Arakan Road extending from Chawk Bazar to Kalurghat Industrial Area via Bahaddarhat. And finally, the Phase-V will cover residential areas of CDA like CDA R/A in Agrabad, CDA R/A in Chandgaon, Sugandha R/A etc; residential areas of housing and settlement department at Halishahar, and privately organised residential areas like Chittagong Co-operative Housing Society, Hill View Housing Society and others.