CSMC halts encroachment drive for want of security

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The anti-encroachment squad of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) actively removed 20 encroachments from Shahnoormiyan Dargah road on Tuesday but was compelled to stop the action in the evening after political intervention. Meanwhile, the CSMC could not resume the drive on Wednesday due to the non-availability of police security. Hence the civic officials of removing the remaining 7-8 illegal shops after getting security on Thursday, said the civic sources.

On Tuesday, the municipal authorities and the shopkeepers came face to face. The CSMC said that the steel kiosks set across the road were illegal, but the shopkeepers claimed that they are on private land and its dispute is underway in the court. The then additional commissioner Ravindra Nikam informed about the action but had not told whether the possession of land has been taken by the civic body or not. On Wednesday, he got retired, therefore, he could not focus on taking action. Meanwhile, the municipal corporation demanded the provision of an additional police force when the political persons opposed their action on Tuesday. Hence the CSMC is waiting to get an adequate police force on Thursday, said the sources.