Rourkela: The Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) will soon undertake an eviction drive in the city to clear pavements and roads from hawkers who conduct their businesses illegally. The drive was supposed to begin Tuesday, but was postponed due to unavoidable circumstances, Enforcement Officer Narendra Pradhan informed. “We will soon undertake the drive to clear roads, pathways, and drains that have been occupied by hawkers. This (Tuesday) morning I went with an official and police personnel to Panposh and asked the illegal encroachers to vacate the areas.
However, they resisted,” informed Pradhan. The RMC official was quick to point out that the rakhi stall vendors have promised to vacate the places by Wednesday evening. “However, it was the fruit vendors who were adamant. I have asked them to meet the Municipal Commissioner to find a solution to their problems. I have told them that if necessary I will use force to vacate the places they are illegally occupying,” Pradhan added. People of this city have been complaining about how the presence of the hawkers is restricting the free movement of pedestrians. Also by obstructing the drains and covering those up, clearance of water has become a major problem.
Officials stated that in the first phase, illegal encroachers on the Panposh–Bondhamunda stretch will be evicted. “Squatting is a big menace on the stretch between Panposh till Bisra Road Chowk. The main road, starting from Udit Nagar up to Bisra Chowk is the worst affected stretch. This is the main business locality of the city and it faces severe traffic congestion due to these vendors who have set up shop illegally. The problems are compounded by illegal parking of vehicles, two-wheelers, and autorickshaws,” informed Pradhan. Rourkela police had undertaken action against illegal parking, but then it suddenly stopped. As a result, it is causing a lot of hardships, locals alleged