In order to ensure smooth traffic and encroachment-free footpaths, the Agartala Municipal Council (AMC) on Thursday launched its pre-Puja eviction drive along with the Traffic department to clear roads and footpaths from encroachment.

On Thursday morning, a big team of AMC task forces and other law enforcing authorities including the Traffic department started their eviction drive to clear several areas of the city from encroachers, especially from the mushrooming footpath hawkers, who had occupied vast areas of city footpaths for decades.

The Netaji road, the busiest road of the city has now made the street encroachment free. The city roads like Netaji road, major part of HGB road and vast areas of Lake Chowmuhani market have also been cleared from encroachment of illegal footpath hawkers, which has made ways for smooth movements of city dwellers through footpaths.

From Thursday AMC massive cleaning drives in major parts of Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) areas has started as part of pre-puja cleaning and eviction drive  to respite the city dwellers  from congested footpath and frequent flood like situation after heavy rain falls and to prepare the city –a total clean before the ensuing festivities of Durga Puja.

AMC ‘s  additional commissioner Muhammad Sajad.P said that after monitoring the ground works of city’s cleaning activities and complaints over encroachment of footpaths and few road by unregistered footpath vendors , on Thursday  the AMC has started massive eviction drives along with cleaning of drains, markets, water bodies and residential areas. All the municipal officials have deployed on the ground to supervise the eviction and cleaning drives and to complete all works before Durga Puja.

AMC has also increased its manpower engaged in drain cleaning and  large de-silting machines are also engaged for cleaning drive at faster pace. Zonal Officers and Engineers have started visiting ward areas to supervise the cleaning works from morning 6 AM to 9 AM.

AMC sources added that those shopkeepers and residents who are littering will be  penalized on the spot by authorities of AMC.

While, additional commissioner Muhammad Sajad.P said that encroachment drive is regular duty of AMC and Corporation will not allow any unauthorized vendors or hawkers to set up their makeshift stall in any part of the city, which creates hindrance on city traffic . He said that no hawker will be allowed to sell their products on roads and if notice, AMC will take necessary action at the earliest.

However, AMC Police Task Force is now seen moving on the main roads to check encroachments on roads, drains and footpaths and AMC to continue its encroachment removal drive relentlessly in all areas.