Anti-encroachment drive begins at Ara

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara : Bhojpur district administration on September 7, 2017, launched an anti-encroachment drive at Ara that will continue till September 14, 2017. There is encroachment on either side of the road from Gopali Chowk to Chitra Toli Road, Khadi Bhandar to Zila School, Mahavir Tola to Badi Mathia, Karman Tola, Nawada, Station Road, Tribhuawani Kothi tri-junction, Sadar Hospital, Jail Road, C K Road, Sheesh Mahal Chowk, Abarpul and Dharahara areas.

The district administration removed encroachment from Harkhen Dharmshala, Bichali Road, Babu Bazaar, Red Cross, Shaheed Bhawan, Mahila College, Jain College, Katira Road, Judge Kothi Mor, K G Road, Government Girls School, Krishi Bhawan, SP residence, Eastern  railway crossing, Bus Stand, Remand Home, Dharahara Bridge, Bazaar Samiti, Bihari Mill, Bandhan Tola, Bajaj Show Room, Nala Road, Maula Bagh, Mahindra Show Room, Pakadi Chowk, Mangal Pandey Path, Gangi, Meer Ganj, Gausganj areas.

In the light of the order of Patna High Court, the district administration officials under the leadership of SDO Navdeep Shukla launched the anti-encroachment drive. Bhojpur DM Sanjeev Kumar and SP Awakash Kumar along with senior officials themselves visited the area and supervised the anti-encroachment drive. The anti-encroachment squad with the help of bulldozer demolished illegal pucca construction and also seized carts and makeshift shops on the roadsides.

Aa number of people protested anti-encroachment drive by burning the effigy of Bhojpur DM. They alleged that the district administration had adopted double yardstick in demolishing the illegal constructions. They alleged that generator sets were installed on the road by the owners of Hotel Regal, Hotel Park View, Hotel Aditya Inn and several doctors had encroached government land but the officials neither seized the generator sets nor demolished their illegal construction.

The SDO said that illegal constructions were being demolished without any prejudice and no one will be allowed to occupy the land illegally. He said magistrates and over 100 police personnel were pressed into service to maintain law and order during anti-encroachment drive. He stated that Rs 80,000 was realised as fine from the illegal occupants. The SDO further said that traffic snarl has become an acute and perennial problem at Ara due to encroachment as people have constructed shops or put carts and makeshift shops on either side of the road at almost everywhere. The district administration had launched an anti-encroachment drive on April 30 this year too but soon the areas were encroached again.