AMC launches massive eviction drive in Agartala

Agartala: To make the city pedestrian-friendly, Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Wednesday launched a massive eviction drive against the encroachment of road space, road shoulders, and footpaths, illegal constructions, and illegal parking on the busiest roads.
Municipal Commissioner Dr Sailesh Kumar Yadav said, “In last three days most congested Shakuntala Road, Post Office Chowmuhani up to Old Motor Stand and G B Bazar area have been cleaned and free from encroachment, which will be continued across the city and AMC’s task force will be remain vigilant over the re-encroachment.”
He said despite repeated appeals and requests, the encroachers didn’t pay any heed for a few months. The AMC Mayor had rounds of talks with the businessmen and traffic authorities but those didn’t yield desirable results rather increasing day by day and creating inconvenience to public life.
“AMC has designated a few locations around the main commercial areas of the city for parking of vehicles, vendors were given specific areas for their business in makeshift arrangement, footpaths and pedestrian strips were repaired to facilitate walking but nothing was followed properly, which compelled us to go for eviction drive,” Dr Yadav pointed out.
However, Mayor Deepak Majumdar said, “AMC 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 and public spaces.”
The AMC under Agartala Smart City project has started construction of drains and it was found many government lands and portions of the road were encroached on by some shopkeepers and street vendors, against which action has been initiated. As of now, two big bamboo-made Puja decoration gates from Ramnagar area of the city were removed for illegal erection, Majumdar added.