Protesting bulldozing and massive encroachment free drive in Battala market area by Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC), the traders and businessmen of market on Wednesday observed strike in their market area.

Protesting bulldozing and massive encroachment free drive in Battala market area by Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC), the traders and businessmen of market on Wednesday observed strike in their market area.

Since early Wednesday morning, all kinds of shops, business establishments including footpath hawkers, vegetable, fish and chicken-mutton vendors also shut their shops and observed the 24-hours strike.

‘On Tuesday, a jumbo team of AMC and police administration conducted a massive encroachment-free drive in Battala area to clear the passage, illegal constructions, liquor shops and illegal parking at the second biggest market of the state, Battala Bazar.

During the demolition drive of the city corporation, many road shops and some other makeshift shops inside the market complex were also bulldozed and AMC authorities have also destroyed illegal shops of liquors etc.

After the demolition drive, both opposition CPI(M) and Congress leaders rushed to the spot and after visiting the destruction sites, they strongly condemned the ‘autocratic’ act by AMC and claimed that without giving any alternative to footpath hawkers, AMC arbitrarily bulldozed the livelihood of poor shopkeepers.

The Battala market committee on Tuesday evening and again on Wednesday morning organized massive protest rallies in the city condemning the demolition drive by AMC.