CUTTACK: An eviction drive to decongest major thoroughfares in the Millennium City started on Wednesday. Roadside vendors were evicted and encroachments from Choudhary Bazaar to Dargha Bazaar removed in the first phase of the drive carried out by a joint team of traffic police, the district administration and Cuttack Municipal Corporation CMC ).Atleast 40 unauthorised shops on the stretch were cleared and the team also cracked down on those who had parked their vehicles illegally on the road. Choudhary Bazaar is a major business hub. Many wholesale clothes and essential item shops are located in the area. Due to rampant illegal parking and encroachments by roadside vendors, vehicular movement on the stretch has been badly affected. Commuters face lot of inconvenience."The eviction was necessary to ensure smooth flow of traffic. We will carry out similar eviction drives across the city," said P K Dalei, ACP(Traffic) Cuttack. He said Rs 13,000 was collected in fines from the encroachers. "Many shopkeepers display their products by blocking the road," said a traffic official.To ensure that the stretch is not occupied by the encroachers again, traffic police will regularly monitor the stretch. Besides, strict warnings have been issued to the encroacherss.The hawkers alleged that the administration and police harass them by conducting such eviction drives. "The CMC is yet to create vending zones for us in the city. So where will we do business. Without allotting any vending area to us, the administration carries such eviction drive and punishes us," said Kanhu Das, a roadside vendor. In the subsequent phases, eviction drive will be carried out in all the major junctions and thoroughfares.

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