Hawker encroachment on Paltan Bazar pavement

Jan. 28: The Kamrup metro district administration and Guwahati Municipal Corporation have decided to introduce a slew of measures to stop re-encroachments on areas that have already been cleared by the civic bodies.

An official in the metro administration said a recent general body meeting of the corporation discussed the eviction drives carried out during the past two years, a majority of which had proved futile.

“There were cases when encroachers were back within 24 hours of the eviction, taking advantage of the administration’s lack of monitoring and subsequent inspection,” he said.

According to the official, the administration has planned to erect fences around the evicted sites to prevent re-encroachment. The corporation would also install hoardings at the sites, with strict instructions against re-encroachment and warning of punitive action in case of violation of norms.

Moreover, it is alleged that a section of GMC employees are hands in glove with the encroachers.

The meeting laid emphasis on strengthening the enforcement wing of the corporation and discussed the creation of a separate anti-encroachment cell. Whenever a new office, shopping mall, showroom or commercial complex is inaugurated, encroachers set up paan shops, tea stalls, small restaurants and autorickshaw stands on the roads or pavements.

The district administration has decided to ask the owners of shopping malls and commercial complexes to take the responsibility of stopping re-encroachment.

“Following the evictions, the shopping mall owners have to take the responsibility of preventing further encroachment. The same would be applicable in case of schools, colleges and other educational institutions,” an official said.

The meeting also discussed plans to develop and beautify the encroached areas immediately after the eviction.

The GMC recently carried out an eviction drive at Paltan Bazar, one of the busiest and congested commercial areas in the city. Many shops located from the Assam State Transport Corporation office to the Ulubari flyover, which were illegally constructed on GS Road and drains, were evicted.

However, sources said vendors are already trickling in into areas that have been cleared of encroachment.