Patna: Special squads will be formed when the month-long anti-encroachment drive would end and they would be given the responsibility of ensuring that encroachers don't return at their place.

The special squads, to be known as Dhava Dals, would have officials from Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the police.

The anti-encroachment drive, a multi-department campaign to rid the roads of encroachment, was launched on August 16 and it was scheduled to end on August 31 but now the divisional commissioner's office not only is going to extend the drive for a few more days (till September 5) but it is also going to come up with measures so that encroachers don't occupy space illegally when the drive ends.

"Soon, my office is going to issue order for extending the date of the anti-encroachment drive till September 5. Earlier, the drive was scheduled to end on August 31. We are aware that encroachers might return to the place from where they were evicted. So we are going to constitute Dhava Dal, which would ensure that areas which have been freed from encroachment don't become encroached again," said divisional commissioner Anand Kishor.

A senior official of PMC, who didn't wish to be quoted, said: "We had a discussion with divisional commissioner in which it was decided that at least 10 Dhava Dals would be formed which would move in the localities at any time and check offenders. The Dhava Dals would set up communication with both PMC headquarters and the police station concerned," he said.

The anti-encroachment drive being headed by divisional commissioner's office is being carried out in mission mode and this is the first time that so many areas have been freed from encroachment at a time and a large-scale demolition drive initiated to free the city of encroachment. The drive is being successfully carried out in all four circles of the corporation.

The ongoing anti-encroachment drive has been prompted by the high court's disappointment at the traffic system in Patna in which encroachment poses the biggest obstacle to smooth vehicular flow. The high court had asked the district administration to send a report on the anti-encroachment drive.

"The whole drive is being carried out tactfully. To deal with any untoward situation, police officers have been asked to ensure that water cannon, anti-riot vehicles and tear gas equipment should be on standby. Besides, the police control room has been ordered to ensure the presence of the force and all station house officers (SHOs) in their respective areas during the anti-encroachment drive. City roads have become more wide after the drive and the roads are going to be widened further after more encroachment is removed from them," added the PMC official.