Jamshedpur, Nov. 30: In order to pave way for road widening work, East Singhbhum district administration along with Jusco demolished 50 makeshift structures on Monday and removed all encroachments on the Subernarekha Link Road, better known as Old Court Road. The�popular Ramesh Hotel was also removed while carrying out an anti-encroachment drive this afternoon.
The drive was carried amidst deployment of police forces from Sakchi and Bistupur police stations. �We have been receiving repeated complains of traffic congestion in city�s prime commercial areas. We have decided to carry on the drive and remove the road side encroached shops and stalls to ensure hassle free movement of traffic,� noted an official.
He went on to inform that the traffic police have identified a number of other areas in Sakchi and Bistupur where the eviction drive will be conducted soon. The kind of shops that faced the eviction axe
includes vegetable shops, fruit shops, tea stalls, snacks corner, hair-cutting salon and furniture shops.
According to sources, the stretch from near the East Singhbhum SSP Office till the Jamshedpur Commercial Tax building�was dotted with illegal vendors selling revenue stamps, and stationeries for visitors to Dhalbhum SDO office and other administrative offices situated at the District Collectorate. The road widening work of nearly 2 km stretch on the Subernarekha Link Road assumes significance as this stretch had been witnessing several road mishaps in the past due to narrow lanes.
Led by sub-divisional officer, Dhalbhum, Alok Kumar started belatedly due to the Chief Minister Raghubar Das’ visit to the steel city in the morning, but started in full swing in the afternoon and continued till the time of writing this report.
Two earth movers, trucks and over a dozen labourers were pressed into the drive that started amid protest at about 2.30 p.m. and flattened the area that accommodated decades-old eateries. The SDO, Kumar said they carried out the demolition drive as the shops and eateries at the vicinity of the Old Court area were set up on unauthorised land.