AGARTALA, July 24 (TIWN): The Agartala Municipal Corporation's Smart City project has necessitated vacating congested roads that were illegally occupied by vendors. As AMC continues to evict vendors without permits, on Wednesday, stalls from Paradise Chowmuhani to Battala were removed by AMC. Trucks lifted the small shops, leaving no opportunity for vendors to retrieve their belongings, which has resulted in significant losses for the poor vendors. However, according to AMC, vendors were informed years ago not to settle on unpermitted lands, prior to the eviction drive.

Despite repeated awareness efforts, some vendors continue to open their stalls, blocking footpaths and parking spots.

On the contrary, vendors argue that they should be provided with alternative places to sell, as the spots allocated to them are often far from the locality, rendering them ineffective. This is not the first time such a drive has been conducted; previously, Lake Chowmuhani and other markets were also cleared, affecting businessmen who had been surviving on those lands for decades. Although the lands do not belong to them, no government intervention had occurred previously.

As the drive continues, the public has reacted with mixed responses. While a section of people supports the government's efforts to clear footpaths, others have called it inhumane. AMC Mayor Dipak Majumder remains firm in his stance, stating that his ultimate goal is to upgrade the city as part of the Smart City project. He has previously emphasized that roads belong to the common people, and nobody has the right to occupy that space.