Shopkeepers observe bandh at Battala for demolishing illegal occupation of roads
By Firstdespatch Desk Nov 23, 2022
Agartala, Nov 23 (FD) A day’s bandh is being observed at Battala-Dashamighat road here to protest against the demolition of twenty two ‘illegal’ roadside shops yesterday by the Agartala Municipal Corporation, which failed to evoke response.
The shop-keepers alleged that during the demolition work they were not given time to remove their cash and valuables to safe places.
Many of the businessmen evicted yesterday said that many of the shops did not have valid papers but some did have.
When the demolition party of AMC arrived with bulldozers, the shop-keepers sought time to remove their products and an assurance that they would be rehabilitated in future.
However, AMC sources said that all the illegal shopkeepers were given prior notice to vacate the place as they occupied roadsides illegally causing huge traffic jams and spoiling the process of beautification of the smart city.
AMC chairman Dipak Majumder told reporters that illegal occupants had been given time and asked to wind up their establishments that were blocking drains and creating water logging problems. “We had no other option, but to demolish the illegal encroachment causing blocking roads illegally and preventing measures to create drains and sewerage systems but they did not pay heed to our plea. The smart city work is a time bound project, so we had no other options but to remove them from roads meant for people and vehicles”, he said.
The leader of the opposition Manik Sarkar, criticized the move saying what kind of smart city will it be if the authorities cannot ensure the livelihood of the shopkeepers.
However, BJP sources said Sarkar was just doing politics ahead of the state assembly elections.