Amidst massive traffic jams across Agartala and very congested condition due to ongoing construction of cover drains across the city, the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Wednesday launch drive against encroachment, illegal footpath shops in all markets to clear the passages, illegal constructions and illegal parking at the busiest roads in the city from encroachment before the ensuing festivities of Durga Puja.

On Wednesday, 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 major parts of Hari Ganga Road (HGB), mainly in Paradise Chowmuhani, City Centre and Melarmath areas, the busiest road of the city has now made the street encroachment free. The city roads like HGB have also been cleared from encroachment of illegal footpath hawkers, which has made ways for smooth movements of city dwellers through footpaths.

From Wednesday 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.

The AMC teams cleared all illegal footpath shops, especially the mushrooming fast-food shops in front of Agartala city Centre, who were illegally occupying major parts of footpath and sections of road.

An AMC ‘official said that after monitoring the ground works of the city's cleaning activities and complaints over encroachment of footpaths and few roads by unregistered footpath vendors , on Wednesday  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 sources added that those shopkeepers and residents who are littering will be  penalized on the spot by authorities of AMC.

AMC official added 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.