THE Gorakhpur Nagar Nigam (GNN) on Tuesday launched its much-talked-about demolition drive to end traffic snarls. The GNN demolition squad razed around 200 tin sheds, removed 150 hoardings, half a dozen shops and roadside sellers from Kutchery bus station to Hanuman temple at Betiahata.
The anti-encroachment squad that was accompanied by a strong contingent of police faced mild protest from the vendors and shopkeepers. The shopkeepers alleged that the encroachers who enjoyed political patronage were left during the drive.
No untoward incident took place because of the presence of police who shooed away the vendors who raised slogans against the administration. The decision to carry out the drive was taken after the GNN received several complaints of encroachments that caused traffic grid-lock in the area.