Nearly 40 shops, which had cropped up illegally on pavements in the bustling Bistupur market, were removed in six hours flat on Monday.

A team of around 150 police personnel, including women constables, carried out the anti-encroachment drive under the watch of Dhalbhum subdivisional officer (SDO) Alok Kumar and traffic deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Vivekanand Thakur from 11am to 5pm.

Two earthmovers were pressed into service to pull down the unauthorised shops that sold footwear, mobile phone recharge coupons and household items.

However, the crackdown was interrupted for around 45 minutes from 1.30pm when local Congress leader S.R.A. Rizvi Chhaban reached the site and protested along with the affected shopkeepers, demanding an alternative vending zone for them.

"A section of these shops had already acquired stay orders from Jharkhand High Court. How can the administration demolish such shops?" asked Chhaban, adding that they would soon file a contempt of court petition at the high court.

Traffic DSP Thakur, however, remained unfazed, saying that the targeted shopkeepers had illegally extended their establishments beyond the permissible limit, thus narrowing the passage within the market.

"The drive was required to de-congest the market and create space so that the fire brigade can move in during an emergency. We are aware of the problems faced by footpath vendors, who eke out a living by selling their wares on the roadside. But we cannot compromise with the safety of the market place and people visiting it. Apart from this, the daily commuters too find it difficult to walk through the narrow passageways due to the makeshift stalls," Thakur said.

He added that the action would continue against anyone, who has built his shop beyond the permissible limit.

Dhalbhum SDO Alok Kumar said that they would step up patrolling in the market area to prevent the errant shopkeepers from returning once the eviction drive ended and police went back.