After massive eviction drive by the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) against encroachment, illegal footpath shops to clear the passages, illegal constructions and illegal parking at the busiest roads in the city from encroachment before the ensuing festivities, the Mayor accompanied by Commissioner and other officials again on Tuesday evening launched eviction drives.

On September 30, AMC along with a jumbo team of police and officials with earth movers, bulldozers and JCP started their drive against encroachment and illegal constructions on government land and one after one many footpath shops were bulldozed and AMC workers cleared some areas of Battala and entire Sakuntala road of the city.

But, on the same evening, again illegal footpath hawkers set up their stalls by occupying government lands and footpaths, creating obstruction for pedestrians and traffic jams.

On Tuesday evening, AMC Mayor Dipak Majumder accompanied by AMC Commissioner Dr Shailesh Kumar Yadav and a big team of corporation and security forces resumed their eviction drive from Battala  to Sakuntala road. The team led by the Mayor evicted encroachers and illegal footpath stalls and cleared the road.

The team only allowed the footpath hawkers, who have valid vendor license and a standard stall as per the norms of the. The AMC team has also cleared the Post Office Choumohani and cleared all illegal ‘Biryani’ shops and their carts.

Then, AMC workers resumed the cleaning drive and one after one footpath stalls, illegal advertisements were removed from the road.

While, giving details of the encroachment free drive of the AMC, Mayor Dipak Majumder said the Corporation has had a number of complaints over illegal footpath shops by occupying main road, leading narrow passages in most the roads inside the city and  are creating hindrance including massive traffic jams across the city. The Corporation in its council meeting has decided to clear all illegal footpaths and encroachment of the government before ensuing Durga Puja and AMC has also started removal of all Puja decorations erected illegally on roads, said Majumder.

He said illegal footpath shops and illegal extension of shops in the government has also occupied passages of the city and AMC vowed to clear all kinds of illegal construction and occupation from all city market areas before the festival of Durga Puja.

He said that before encroaching free drive, AMC had served notices to all persons, who illegally occupied the government land and roads.

The AMC under Agartala Smart City project has started construction of drains and the authorities found many government lands and portions of road were encroached by some footpath shopkeepers and street vendors, who are illegally running their business without any vendor licenses, said Majumder.

He said that after verifying all government records and after establishment of encroachment, the AMC had served notices to all occupiers to clear the government land. Some of the had cleared their illegal occupation and some were very reluctant to clear the government, then AMC has decided to launch drive across Agartala city to widening the roads and to free the city of traffic jams, said Majumder and added that process has been started and within few days through eviction drive, all illegally occupied government land and roads will be cleared.

He reiterated that the eviction drive will continue across the city and appealed to all not to occupy the government land, footpaths and streets. He also appealed to all community puja organizers to avoid the construction of decorations and gates in government land and on roads.

It may be recalled here that AMC on Tuesday removed two big bamboo made Puja decoration gates  from Ramnagar area of the city and after notices, two clubs authorities had also removed their gates from roads.