Agartala: The Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) carried out a demolition drive on Thursday at Lake Chowmuhani Bazar, removing illegally erected temporary shops from the road.
Concerns arose within the business community following the eviction of numerous small traders and vendors during the eviction drive.
The affected traders expressed their grievances, claiming that they were not given prior notice or an alternative place to relocate their businesses.
The incident follows a recent visit by Mayor Dipak Majumdar to Lake Chowmuhani Bazar.
During his visit, the Agartala Municipal Corporation had directed the owners of the illegal shops to vacate their premises.
When the small traders refused to comply with the order, the AMC used bulldozers to demolish several illegal shops.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from local business groups, who argue that such actions should be executed with proper rehabilitation plans.
Many traders alleged that they were forced to vacate their stalls without any compensation or assistance.
Over 100 illegal shops were evicted to facilitate the market’s development.
Mayor Majumdar assured the traders that new houses would be built for them within the next month.
He stressed that the action was taken for public safety and that measures would be implemented to ensure emergency vehicles such as ambulances or fire engines access to the market.
The mayor urged the traders to support the government and made it clear that no trader would be allowed to occupy space illegally or conduct illegal business.
He added that the administration intends to organize the market in a systematic and orderly way.
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The affected vendors have appealed to the state government for intervention, demanding either compensation or an alternative marketplace.
Meanwhile, protests are being planned by vendors against what they call an “unjustified and forceful eviction.”
