90 Percent Vendors Voluntarily Removed Shops, Says Silchar Mayor; Illegal Parking Next on SMC Radar

Silchar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Mayor Amarendra Paul has claimed that around 90% of vendors occupying footpaths between Capital Point and Rangirkhari voluntarily removed their shops following notices issued by the civic body, as the corporation launched its major eviction drive on Saturday, 14 November. The Mayor said the drive was aimed at restoring pedestrian access to footpaths and addressing a long-standing public grievance over illegal encroachment.

Addressing the media during the eviction operation, Paul said the newly elected corporation took oath on 5 November and had subsequently started working on the issue, which was also part of its election manifesto. He said the SMC had provided sufficient notice to the vendors through public announcements using microphones and media notifications before initiating the drive.

The Mayor expressed gratitude to those who complied with the notice and voluntarily shifted their shops. However, he alleged that the remaining 10% had refused to vacate the footpaths and attempted to create resistance, claiming that some individuals were supporting them for their own interests. He said that while the majority of people were willing to follow the law, a few were trying to politicise the issue instead of understanding the problems faced by Silchar’s residents.

Deputy Mayor Bijendra Prasad Singh clarified that the corporation was not against small businesses or micro-entrepreneurs but was concerned about encroachment at designated no-vending zones. He said that several such areas exist across Silchar and the present drive was specifically focused on the stretch from Capital Point to Rangirkhari, which he described as one of the city’s major roads.

Singh informed that alternative vending spaces had been identified for the affected traders. These include an area below the Sadarghat Bridge and designated spaces along Trunk Road near Gandhi Mela Ground. He added that the corporation would notify more vending spaces in the future to accommodate vendors. The Deputy Mayor said the eviction drive was being conducted in phases, with the current phase focusing on the specified stretch. He expressed hope that vendors would cooperate and relocate to the designated vending zones, adding that the SMC would extend assistance wherever required.

The Deputy Mayor further announced that the corporation would soon launch another drive against illegal parking and the unauthorised storage of construction materials such as sand and stones on roads. He said the SMC would undertake the operation in coordination with the police administration and the Deputy Commissioner, and that it was expected to begin within a few days.

Addressing concerns over street vendors’ fundamental rights, Mayor Amarendra Paul referred to Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, which guarantees citizens the right to practise any profession or carry on any occupation, trade or business. However, he pointed out that the right is subject to reasonable restrictions under Article 19(6). He argued that removing vendors from designated vending zones would raise concerns over their rights, but restrictions on vending in notified no-vending zones were permissible under the constitutional framework.

The eviction drive began at around 11 am on Saturday from Capital Point, with two excavators and a large police force deployed to assist the civic body. Several shops and structures occupying public footpaths were demolished as the operation progressed towards Rangirkhari and other designated areas. The SMC had earlier directed traders to clear the encroachments by 14 November.