Dibrugarh admin launches eviction drive to decongest market footpaths

Dibrugarh: In a move to reclaim public spaces, the Enforcement Squad of the Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation (DMC) carried out a massive anti-encroachment drive across the city’s busiest commercial hubs on Thursday.The operation, targeting the New Market and Chowkidingee Market areas, focused on clearing footpaths and arterial roads that have long been bottlenecked by illegal vendors and shop extensions.Led by DMC officials, the enforcement team cleared dozens of makeshift stalls and seized a significant quantity of merchandise, including plasticware, garments, and perishables, which were being displayed illegally outside permanent shop premises. The drive aims to restore pedestrian rights and ensure the smooth flow of traffic in a city increasingly burdened by urban congestion.The crackdown is part of a broader vision to transform Dibrugarh into a model urban centre. Following the historic upgradation of the Dibrugarh Municipal Board to a Municipal Corporation — making it only the second such body in Assam after Guwahati — the DMC formed a specialised 22-member Enforcement Squad in July 2025.As Dibrugarh is increasingly projected as the “second capital of Assam,” the pressure to modernise infrastructure and maintain civic discipline has intensified. The corporation has been working under a strict mandate to streamline the city’s layout to match its growing administrative and economic importance.The DMC has been conducting periodic drives against illegal roadside vending, only for the encroachers to return within two to three weeks. To counter this, the Corporation has signaled that the current phase of enforcement will be more sustained than previous efforts.Speaking to the media, Dibrugarh Deputy Mayor Ujjal Phukon said that the administration would no longer tolerate the “cat-and-mouse” game played by illegal vendors.“Our goal is to make Dibrugarh a clean, walkable, and organised city. Footpaths are meant for pedestrians, not for commercial extensions. This anti-encroachment drive is not a one-day affair, it will continue with full force in the coming days. We appeal to the shopkeepers and vendors to cooperate with the DMC, or face strict legal action and permanent seizure of goods,” said Phukon.He further stated that maintaining clear footpaths and organised market areas is essential not only for pedestrian convenience but also for the city’s overall development and its image as a capital city.The DMC has indicated that while enforcement will continue, they are also exploring long-term solutions to balance the needs of vendors with the rights of pedestrians and the city’s development goals.