Patna: The district administration has decided to extend the ongoing anti-encroachment drive in the city till September 10.
The drive was scheduled to end on Wednesday. More illegal buildings and other structures will be razed to the ground in the coming five days. The administration will focus on places from where squatters were removed. So far, the administration has removed 1,625 temporary and 425 permanent structures in the city.
District magistrate (DM) Kumar Ravi is personally monitoring the drive that kicked off on August 16. "Ever since the drive was launched, the administration has collected Rs 60,69,44 in fine for illegal structures. Also, 125 vehicles were towed away and 1,961 vehicles fined Rs 14,60,000. FIRs have been registered against 127 people and we have decided to extend the drive till September 10," DM Ravi said.
On Wednesday, the drive was on from Digha Ghat to Digha Nahar and Daroga Rai Path to Boring Road's Anandpur in Nutan Capital circle. In Bankipor, the drive was on from Sahganj to Shanichara Mor; in Patna City circle from Machharhatta to Harmandir Saheb; in Kankarbagh from Zero Mile to New Bypass and Meethapur bus stand to 90 Feet Bypass.
On the Patna DM's order, encroachments were removed from Patna zoo to Asiana Mor and wrongly parked vehicles towed away. The flying squad instructed drivers not to stop autos in the middle of the road to pick or drop passengers.
Ravi instructed Patna Electricity Supply Unit officials to identify and shift transformers and electric poles blocking traffic. He also issued orders to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited officials to remove telephone poles that are not being used or are defunct.
"The mega drive will be on till September 10 and action will be taken against those who build illegal structures on the road," Ravi said. "We will also ensure that squatters do no return to places freed of encroachment. We are keeping a close eye on such people,"
The district administration has also formed a flying squad comprising of police and magistrates that will do the rounds at night and visit places from where encroachments were removed during the day. On Wednesday, a total of Rs 10,19,000 was collected from four circles during the anti-encroachment drive.
