The Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) will 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.

During a visit at the Lake Chowmuhani market, the Mayor of AMC, Dipak Majumder accompanied by Commissioner Dr Shailesh Kumar Yadav noticed many irregularities, illegal footpaths, encroachment in government lands and illegal liquor shops.

Majumder expressing his gross dissatisfaction over the market management by the Market Committee has issued strict warnings against all illegal means across the market and said that all the illegal constructions, encroachment will be cleared within next seven days.

Speaking with media persons, Majumder said that AMC has received many complaints  against Lake Chowmuhani Bazar and to review the ground situation, they visited the entire market.

“We surprised over the illegal activities of the Market Committee and they are running the market by creating enormous problems for daily consumers and common people,” said Majumder and added that AMC will notice to all illegal occupants to remove their illegal shops and constructions from government land within next 3 days and after seven days ultimatum, the AMC will launch its eviction drive in and around the market.

There are many illegal liquor shops and AMC will not tolerate such kind of illegal activities in public places, said Major and added that all roadside shops will be evicted and the Corporation will try to give them alternative places for their daily trading.

He said that all the markets across Agartala city will be cleared from encroachment and steps would be taken to clear garbage. “There is a need that all market committees should come forward to maintain cleanliness in their respective markets and AMC is always ready to extend its helping hand to maintain cleanliness.

Majumder said the Corporation has had a number of complaints over illegal footpath shops by occupying main roads, leading narrow passages in most of the roads inside the city and  are creating hindrance including massive traffic jams across the city.

He said illegal footpath shops and illegal extension of shops in the government land has also occupied passages of the city and AMC vowed to clear all kinds of illegal construction and occupation from all city market areas before the festival of Durga Puja.

He said that before encroaching free drive, AMC will serve notices to all persons, who illegally occupied the government land and roads.

The AMC under Agartala Smart City project has continued construction of drains and the authorities found many government land and portions of road were encroached by some footpath shopkeepers and street vendors, who are illegally running their business without any vendor licenses, said Majumder.

He said that after verifying all government records and after establishment of encroachment, the AMC had served notices to all occupiers to clear the government land. Some of the had cleared their illegal occupation and some were very reluctant to clear the government, now AMC will launch massive drive across Agartala city to widening the roads and to free the city of traffic jams, said Majumder and added that process has been started and within few days through eviction drive, all illegally occupied government land and roads will be cleared.

He said that before launching the eviction drive, AMC officials and he  personally visited all markets of the city and requested all encroachers to clear the government land.

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 trade 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.

He said that soon city dwellers will get rid of massive traffic jams and will find footpaths for passages.