Agartala: Shops that have stood for 50 to 60 years along Minister Bari Road in Agartala are being demolished on the directions of the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC), as part of the civic body’s urban development plan for the city.
According to shopkeepers, the AMC had earlier directed them to vacate the premises, reportedly on the grounds that the structures stood on government land where they had been conducting business for decades.
Following the directive, the affected traders said they met Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha and the Mayor of Agartala Municipal Corporation to discuss the matter. They claimed to have received assurances from both that alternative arrangements would be made for them.
Citing this assurance, the shopkeepers said they have now begun demolishing their own shops voluntarily, rather than waiting for forced removal by civic authorities.
Several traders expressed mixed feelings over leaving premises where their families had run businesses for generations, even as they expressed hope that the promised alternative arrangements would materialise soon.
The AMC has not issued an official statement detailing the specific land status claims or the nature of the relocation plan.