The Silchar Municipal Corporation launched a drive to remove encroachments from footpaths on Saturday, but the operation was temporarily suspended on Hospital Road after protests and the arrest of four people, including an advocate and a woman, authorities said.
The operation began around 11 am at Capital Point, where excavators and a large police contingent were deployed to remove illegal shops and roadside structures. The clearance covered stretches towards Rangirkhari and areas adjoining the national highway, with the stated objective of restoring pedestrian access across the town.
The corporation had issued a notification on November 10 directing encroachers to vacate identified stretches by November 14. Officials proceeded with demolition after several traders did not comply with the notice, according to the report. The action placed the municipal body’s effort to reclaim public footpaths alongside concerns from traders whose businesses operated from the affected roadside areas.
Resistance emerged on Hospital Road as members of the newly formed All India Bengali Rights Forum opposed the drive. The group alleged that the action threatened the livelihoods of economically disadvantaged traders. Advocate Soumen Choudhury questioned the legal basis of the operation and sought discussions with authorities on the government directives governing the clearance.
Tensions escalated during the protest, prompting the temporary suspension of the operation on Hospital Road. Four people were arrested in connection with the protests and taken to Udharbond police station, authorities said. The report identified Choudhury and a woman among those detained. It did not provide details of the charges or the subsequent legal proceedings.
Some protesters also alleged that the enforcement was selective and demanded that the drive be implemented uniformly and according to established procedures. The competing claims highlight the administrative challenge involved in clearing public spaces where informal or small-scale commercial activity has become linked to livelihoods.
Mayor Amarendra Paul defended the operation, saying the removal of illegal encroachments was among the BJP’s election promises. “The overwhelming majority of residents want development, while barely 10% of vested interests are trying to obstruct the drive,” Paul told the media. The municipal operation is expected to continue in the identified stretches, while the action on Hospital Road remained temporarily suspended after the protests.
