Raipur traffic police and the municipal corporation carried out a joint anti-encroachment drive, removing illegal roadside structures and seizing promotional material from shops.

The Raipur traffic police and municipal corporation have launched a joint action against roadside encroachments, targeting more than 50 shopkeepers who were allegedly occupying roads and footpaths.The drive was conducted on key routes including Kotwali Chowk to Jaistambh Chowk and Lodhipara Chowk to Mandi Gate Road to improve traffic movement and reduce congestion.The action was carried out under the direction of Police Commissioner Dr Sanjeev Shukla and supervision of DCP Traffic Dr Archana Jha, along with the municipal corporation’s enforcement team.

Action taken against roadside encroachments

During the two-day drive from Kotwali Chowk through Malviya Road to Jaistambh Chowk, officials took action against shopkeepers who had placed goods and structures on roads and footpaths.

The team seized:

• 4 roadside carts

• 12 tables

• 15 cloth display stands

• 5 flex boards

• Tarpaulin stands and other materials

A fine of ₹4,000 was also collected during the action.

Three illegal structures removed with bulldozers

On the Lodhipara Chowk to Mandi Gate route, authorities removed three temporary illegal structures built along the roadside using bulldozers.Apart from this, promotional materials placed outside 11 shops were also seized.According to officials, traffic movement improved after the removal of these obstacles and congestion on the route reduced.

Campaign ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi

The anti-encroachment drive has been intensified ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi, when major markets and roads in the city are expected to witness increased public movement.Traffic police have appealed to traders and citizens not to place goods, banners or promotional material on roads, footpaths or dividers.Officials said that joint action by the traffic police and municipal corporation will continue against illegal encroachments across the city.

According to Sambhal Superintendent of Police K.K. Bishnoi, the action targeted illegal structures spread across more than 1,000 bighas of land, with the Mukarrabpur demolition specifically covering an Imambara and an adjoining structure that officials say had encroached on barren land designated for an Anganwadi centre. Bishnoi said the demolition followed due legal procedure after a complaint was received, and that personnel from four police stations, along with a Rapid Action Force contingent, were deployed at the site to maintain order. He added that residents occupying similar encroachments had been urged to vacate voluntarily, warning that continued occupation could result in further action and fines.

Thursday's action follows a larger demolition drive earlier in the week at Madhan village, where authorities cleared more than 10.5 bighas of government and graveyard land, razing an Eidgah, a mosque, two 30-foot minarets and two houses over a roughly six-hour operation. Officials said the land, valued at more than ₹5 crore, had been under illegal occupation for several years, with parts allegedly being illegally subdivided for commercial use. The District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police and other senior officials were present throughout that operation, with around 100 Rapid Action Force personnel deployed as a precaution.

A separate demolition in April, at Bicholi village, followed a similar pattern — officials said a complaint had been filed in the Tehsildar's court in January, a public notice was subsequently published, and no objection was received within the stipulated window before the structures, an Eidgah and Imambara on roughly seven bighas of government land, were cleared. District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya said at the time that the action had followed complete legal process, including a court-ordered appeal window before enforcement began.

Sambhal has remained under close scrutiny since communal violence broke out in November 2024 during a court-ordered survey of the city's Shahi Jama Masjid, and the district has since seen a series of similar anti-encroachment drives targeting structures on government and graveyard land. Officials have consistently framed these actions as routine enforcement against illegal construction rather than actions targeting any particular community, citing revenue department findings and judicial or tehsildar-court orders as the legal basis in each case.

Neither residents affected by Thursday's demolition nor local community representatives had issued a public statement disputing the administration's account at the time of publishing.

Durg Encroachment Drive: Bulldozer Rolls Over BJP Leader’s Kin’s Shop After Massive Opium Haul

In a major crackdown on illegal land grabbing and following one of the largest drug busts in the region, the Durg district administration on Tuesday demolished a shop owned by the brother of a local BJP leader. The action, which took place in Gram Samoda, comes just days after authorities seized a staggering 62,000 kg of opium from a farm linked to the same family.

The bulldozer was deployed against the property of Brijesh Tamrakar, the brother of Vinayak Tamrakar, a BJP leader who was recently arrested for allegedly cultivating opium on a large scale. The demolition is being seen as a firm message from the administration against influential land mafias.

 20-Year-Old Illegal Encroachment Removed

Officials from the revenue department, accompanied by a heavy police force, carried out the anti-encroachment drive in Samoda village on Tuesday afternoon. The target was a building materials shop constructed by Brijesh Tamrakar on 32 dismil of government land.

According to local villagers, the encroachment was over two decades old. "This shop has been illegal for 20 years. There were orders to remove it back in 2013, but nothing happened until now," said Neeraj, a local resident who had previously alerted authorities about the opium cultivation. The administration finally acted on March 10, 2026, clearing the illegal structure.

During the demolition, a crowd of onlookers gathered, with some villagers raising slogans against the BJP government and the accused leader. The presence of Tehsildar Kshama Yadu ensured the operation was carried out without any major law and order issues.

 The Opium Trail: A Multi-Crore Seizure

This encroachment action is the second act in a high-profile case that began on March 6, when police raided Vinayak Tamrakar’s farmland in Samoda and Jhenjhari villages. What they found was astonishing: over 5 acres of land were being used to illegally cultivate opium poppies.

After days of uprooting the plants, the authorities have seized a total of approximately 62,000 kilograms of opium plants. The estimated value of this haul is a staggering ₹7.88 crore. The massive quantity of the seized crop required four tractors to transport it to a secure location, where it awaits disposal after receiving permission from the environmental department.

Adding to the gravity of the case, police revealed that the farm was heavily fortified. "The accused had installed live electric wires on the fencing near the gate to prevent anyone from entering the field," a police official stated. "They had also deployed bouncers for security."

 Arrests and Ongoing Investigation

The police have already arrested Vinayak Tamrakar and two other accused individuals in connection with the opium cultivation case, while two others remain absconding. Searches at the premises of a linked individual, Vikas Bishnoi, led to the recovery of raw opium, poppy seeds, and equipment used for processing.

The land on which the opium was grown is officially registered in the names of Preetibala and Madhumati Tamrakar, who are reportedly Vinayak’s sisters. During questioning, both women claimed ignorance of the illegal farming, stating that Vinayak never allowed them to visit the field.

 What’s Next?

The administration has made it clear that the crackdown will not stop here. "The 20-year-old encroachment on the 32 dismil of land has been cleared today," said Naib Tehsildar Kshama Yadu. "The revenue team is now investigating other illegal encroachments on government land in the area."

With two accused still on the run and the massive task of destroying 62,000 kg of narcotic crop pending, this case remains a top priority for the Durg police and administration. The twin actions—the drug bust and the bulldozer drive—signal a zero-tolerance approach towards a nexus of political influence, land grabbing, and illegal narcotics in the region.

In a major anti-encroachment operation, the Indore administration on Saturday cleared approximately 25,000 square feet of government land behind Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital (MYH) and near the Super Speciality Hospital. Illegal structures built in the name of a mosque were demolished using heavy machinery, marking a firm step towards reclaiming public property.

The drive began at 7:30 am and lasted about one-and-a-half hours. Senior officials including SDM Ghanshyam Dhangar, Tehsildar Kamlesh Kushwah, Additional DCP Ramsnehi Mishra, ACP Tushar Singh, and municipal Zonal Officer Geetesh Tiwari led the teams. Two poclain machines, three JCBs, over 100 civic staff, and more than 100 police personnel were deployed on the spot.

Workers removed a boundary wall, common toilet, the front portion of a hall, and an adjacent garden area. Some local people gathered and protested, but officials persuaded them and the operation continued smoothly. The mosque committee has now been given seven days to voluntarily remove the remaining portion of the hall.

Court Order Clears the Way for Action  

The entire operation was carried out on the basis of a clear Tehsildar court order. Tehsildar Kamlesh Kushwah rejected the claims made by the Waqf Board and mosque management committee. His order stated that only 300 square feet of construction was permitted in 1985. Over the years, the structure had illegally expanded to nearly 30,000 square feet on government land.

Records show the land falls in CRP Line area of Juni Indore tehsil, Block No. 12 (new survey 38). It is clearly listed as government land in Nazul records and lies in an unserved portion of the Residency area. The case came to light after a complaint by a local resident.

Investigation Reveals Tampering  

During the probe, officials found that the original 1985 permission letter allowed mosque construction only within 300 square feet. Google satellite images confirm the initial structure was small. Shockingly, the word “mosque” appears to have been added later in different handwriting on the document.

SDM Ghanshyam Dhangar confirmed that the land belongs to the government and the administration is committed to protecting public property. “This action sends a strong message that no one is above the law,” he said.

Why This Matters Right Now  

Indore has been witnessing a sustained drive against encroachments on government and public land. With hospitals like MYH and the Super Speciality Hospital already facing space crunch, freeing 25,000 square feet opens up possibilities for better civic facilities, parking, or green spaces in a high-traffic medical zone.

Local residents welcomed the move, saying it will improve access and safety around the busy hospital area. The administration has made it clear that similar drives will continue wherever illegal constructions are found on government land.

This successful Indore encroachment removal operation once again highlights the district administration’s focus on transparent governance and rule of law. Citizens can now expect cleaner, encroachment-free public spaces in the coming months.