Agartala Mayor Dipak Majumder on Saturday said the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) will continue its encroachment removal drive across the city and relocate roadside vendors in a bid to ease traffic congestion.
Addressing reporters, the mayor said the civic body has drawn up plans to develop a dedicated parking facility and permanently rehabilitate vendors affected by the ongoing drive. “We have decided to establish a parking lot and permanently relocate the vendors,” Majumder said.
As part of the initiative, a 1,200 sq ft shopping complex will be constructed and a park developed near Jackson Gate. The move aims to create organised vending spaces while ensuring smoother traffic flow in key areas of the city.
Majumder said notices have already been served to vendors operating in stretches identified as major causes of traffic snarls. “Wherever traffic congestion is being caused, notices have been issued. Vendors who are voluntarily shifting as per our request are being provided alternative vending spaces,” he stated.
However, in areas where resistance has been encountered, the civic authorities have taken action to remove unauthorised structures in accordance with the law. “In places where we are confronting resistance, force is being used to clear the unauthorised structures,” he said.
The mayor also noted that some vendors had approached the court challenging the eviction drive. “The court has favoured our drive,” he added.
Emphasising that the primary objective is to ensure hassle-free movement for commuters, Majumder said the AMC is committed to offering a traffic snarl-free Agartala. He affirmed that the anti-encroachment drives will continue throughout the year as part of sustained efforts to improve urban management and public convenience.