Eviction drive: Over 500 shops demolished in Raiganj

Raiganj: Officials of district administration demolished more than 500 shops along National Highway 34 at Rupahar, Raiganj with two bulldozers on Friday.

Adequate police force was deployed. All the unauthorised encroachments in Rupahar Haat were removed. Reportedly the administrative officials will organize an eviction drive from Rupahar to Panishala along a 15 km stretch of NH34 in the next few days. A trader of Rupahar said: “Every Wednesday, the old Rupahar Haat (market) is held. Residents of our locality earn their livelihood from this Haat. Today all the shops of the Haat have been demolished. We appeal to the administration to provide a place beside NH34 so that this historical Haat survives and the evicted traders can be rehabilitated.”

Kingshuk Maiti, SDO Raiganj said: “We freed NH34 from encroachment at Rupahar along with the NHAI authorities. Administration will free some other PWD roads and municipality roads when concerned authorities meet us with specific complaints

of encroachment.”