The Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) again on Tuesday morning after a span of 9 months launched its massive encroachment free drive in Battala area to clear the passage, illegal constructions, liquors shops and illegal parking at the second biggest market of the state, Battala Bazar.

The Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) again on Tuesday morning after a span of 9 months launched its massive encroachment free drive in Battala area to clear the passage, illegal constructions, liquors shops and illegal parking at the second biggest market of the state, Battala Bazar.

While, after the eviction drive, a massive protest erupted and opposition political parties also jumped into action and protest rallies after protest rallies, the local traders called for a 24-hours strike in the entire Battala market on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, speaking with media persons, AMC Mayor Dipak Majumder along with a jumbo team police and AMC officials said that as part of beautification drive, local councilors and market authorities had recently visited different corners of the Battala Bazar and had a detailed discussion with local traders and other businessman for initiating a cleanliness drive and encroachment free market, specially to clear the road from Battala Shiv Mandir to Dashamighat.

He said that earlier, AMC cleared the road from illegal encroachment, but some people again occupied the government land and continued their illegal liquor trade. Mayor added that as part of ‘Drug free Tripura’ drive, the AMC in association with the state government has also committed to destroy all illegal dens of drugs and liquors spreading in markets of Agartala city.

The Mayor and AMC commissioner had also personally interacted with traders and urged them to free all roads and lanes, which are illegally encroached by the traders for their so-called expansion of traders and they had also given time to clear encroachment, said Majumder and added that AMC has no other option to clear the encroachment by bulldozing the illegal construction and dens of drugs.

AMC official sources said that the Corporation will also launch a cleanliness drive at the entry point of the wholesale fish market and on the road, which leads to Battala crematorium ground.

After introducing new loading and unloading systems, the massive traffic jams that occurred in the market complex and its vicinity would be eased and all commuters and traders would get sufficient spaces for smooth movement.

Majumder said that with cooperation from local clubs and trader communities, all encroachment in Battala area will be cleared and on Tuesday’s operation the local people supported the eviction team.

AMC have noticed many traders have encroached the government land with unauthorized constructions, leading narrow passages in most the roads inside the Battala Bazar complex, said the Mayor and added that they have requested all the traders to free their illegal encroachment within next few days, else AMC will launch eviction drive to clear unauthorized occupation.

‘The newly elected AMC has vowed for beautification of Agartala smart city and has also taken challenges against encroachment for smooth passage of city dwellers and we are very much optimistic that all traders community will extend their helping hand to help the traders as well as the general customers of the city’, said Mayor.

While, as per the decision, on Tuesday morning the AMC team with bulldozers and other machinery started their eviction drive in the Dashmighat road and some lanes inside the Battala market and till afternoon the road was almost cleared from encroachment.

After the eviction drive, opposition leader Manik Sarkar along with some CITU leaders also has all demolition spots and interacts with the traders, whose properties were destroyed during the drive.

He said traders alleged that AMC without notice started their demolition drive and created massive destruction in that area. Sarkar said that if any one occupied the government land and footpaths, it’s illegal, but decade old shops were bulldozed without any notice and destroyed their properties.

He alleged that ‘this is not the right way of smart city work by autocratic steps destroying the livelihood of common people' and added that people will not tolerate such autocratic steps by the BJP government.

In the evening, Congress leader and former MLA Ashish Saha also visited all demolition spot and after interacting with affected traders, alleged that AMC continues their endavour of Smart City projects without any proper plan to rehabilitate footpath hawkers and they way AMC continues its eviction drive its total ‘inhuman and barbaric’.

He also said that traders protesting inhuman activities of AMC have called strike on Wednesday in the market area and urged the administration to give compensation to all affected traders.