A goat loiters in front of closed shops in Bodhgaya on Monday. Picture by Suman

Gaya, Aug. 8: The daylong Bodhgaya bandh called in protest against the demolition drive launched by the administration against illegal constructions evoked massive response.

Almost all shops and monasteries remained closed today. Only the world heri- tage Mahabodhi Mahavihara and hotels in Bodhgaya remained open.

Early in the morning, bandh supporters, under the banner of Shanti Vikas Manch, took out a procession from Gandhi Chowk. It passed through the Mahabodhi Society of India and the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) offices before culminating in a meeting near the point of origin.

Former BTMC secretary Kalicharan Singh Yadav said: “Bodhgaya is an ancient city where people come in search of livelihood opportunities. If there are illegal constructions in the heritage city, they did not come up in a day. The administration should have stopped the construction at the outset.”

International Buddhist Council president Tenzing Lama said: “The process of getting construction plans passed is very lengthy and can take up to two years to get approval. The process should be simplified.”

The administration started a drive yesterday to demolish illegally constructed portions of four hotels, a monastery and the meditation centre-cum-guest house, which triggered stone-pelting.

People likely to be affected by the drive gave their support to the daylong Bodhgaya bandh today.

Bodhgaya Nagar Panchayat has identified as many as 150 structures in Bodhgaya, which have been construc- ted either without the approval of the administration or have expanded the construction area beyond the approved plan.