Evicted vendors back on Bailey Road. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, May 22: The anti-encroachment drive carried out by the district administration and Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) between May 7 and 10 seems to be a failed effort.

The squatters, vendors and hawkers are back in full strength at all places including Hathuwa market, Station Road, Bailey Road near state secretariat building, Sheikhpura More and Rajabazaar.

Earlier during a hearing on May 16, Patna High Court had directed district administration and the PMC to file a progress report with regard to removal of encroachment from different parts of the state capital.

The court had also directed the superintendent of police (SP) — traffic to prevent re-encroachment and to install cameras on various spots. “The work for installation of cameras at the designated places is under process. As far as re-encroachment is concerned, the local police stations have been entrusted with this duty and they are working in that regard,” said Shivdeep Lande, city and traffic SP, Patna.

Local police stations, on the other hand, claim they are performing their duty to prevent re-encroachment. “We conduct five to six rounds of patrolling everyday near Hathuwa market and remove the squatters if found. Even then some return. Now, we will arrest the offenders and impose fines to make them understand the law,” said a senior official of Kadamkuan police station.

Vendors near Hathuwa market agreed that repeated patrolling is being done. “The police patrolling SUVs make several rounds on this road. But we remove our cots and carts during the patrolling. However, we are helpless because we have to feed our families and we have no other place to go. Hence, we again set our shops within an hour the police team departs,” said a stall owner who sells cigarettes on Hathuwa market road.

PMC claims it might conduct similar anti-encroachment drives in the coming days if the situation demands. “It is the duty of local police stations to ensure that the roads are not re-encroached but if the vendors completely neglect this then we would again conduct similar anti-encroachment drives in the coming days,” said Shashank Shekhar Sharma, executive officer of New Patna circle of the PMC.

“Local police stations are regularly being asked to prevent any encroachment in their jurisdiction and we would be presenting a respective status report to the high court on July 11,” said D.K. Mishra, deputy superintendent of police, Patna.

While efforts are being made to ensure encroachment-free streets in Patna an obvious question crops up in the mind is whether there is a rehabilitation policy. The PMC in the last hearing of the high court had submitted that out of 14 places, which it has selected for constructing vending zones, in only two places work has begun.

“The work for making designs and later constructing vending zones has been assigned to DFID by the PMC. We are also making sure that the proposed vending zones can accommodate 80-100 vendors subjected to availability of space at the spot and are provided with all basic facilities including lighting and lavatory arrangements,” said a senior engineer of the PMC.