Online Correspondent:
As per prior announcement, the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) carried out an eviction drive against traders occupying city footpaths illegally. The operation began on Tuesday night at Post Office Chowmuhani in Agartala.
From Wednesday morning onwards, the drive was extended in a phased manner to other major commercial areas of the capital, including Shakuntala Road, City Centre, and the area opposite Rabindra Bhavan, where traders had been running businesses illegally for a long time.
Due to widespread footpath encroachment, daily life for the general public had become extremely difficult. One of the worst-affected areas was the busy Hariganga Basak Road, where vendors occupied footpaths from morning till night. This not only caused severe traffic congestion but also made pedestrian movement unsafe and inconvenient.
Through the eviction drive, illegally occupied public spaces were cleared. The Municipal Corporation stated that such operations would continue regularly to keep the city clean and free from traffic congestion. The Mayor said that similar steps would be taken in the future to develop Agartala into a modern, well-equipped, and clean city. He added that eviction drives would be conducted in every lane and by-lane wherever illegal business activities are found.
According to the Mayor, several complaints regarding traffic jams and public inconvenience caused by illegal footpath encroachment had been received, prompting this action. He emphasized that footpath occupation by unauthorized vendors had been a major reason behind traffic snarls and that strict action would continue.
However, the drive has also severely affected many small vendors. Several of them had been earning their livelihood by running roadside businesses along with their families. Following the eviction, many are now facing uncertainty. During the operation, several small traders were seen breaking down in tears, highlighting the human impact of the crackdown.
