Ranchi: An anti-encroachment drive by the district administration and Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) near DPS Chowk in the HEC area on Tuesday triggered protests as bulldozers moved in to remove structures allegedly standing on encroached land, leaving several families displaced.Residents claimed that the demolition began in the morning, prompting panic among households that were still occupied. Many alleged that they had not received adequate notice before the action.The demolition sparked protests at the site, with residents gathering to oppose the drive. The situation also led to traffic congestion on the DPS Chowk stretch for several hours as protesters assembled along the roadside and vehicular movement slowed in the area.Among those affected was Sarita Kumari, a Class VIII student of a govt school, who said the demolition disrupted her half-yearly examination. “I could not take my exam today. I had to rush back from school because only my mother and father were at home. My father is mentally unwell, and my family needed me there,” she said.Another resident, Sunita Devi, said the action came a day after women in the locality observed Hartalika Teej. “We fasted for Teej yesterday. Today, we have not even completed the ritual of breaking the fast, and our homes have been demolished. We have been left standing on the road,” she said.Basti Bachao Sangharsh Samiti president Mintu Paswan, who has been leading the protest, alleged that the drive was carried out without proper communication. “Ten RMC bulldozers were deployed. Around 20 houses were demolished, and more than 10 families were pushed onto the streets. Only one general notice and a public announcement were made yesterday evening regarding encroachments in the HEC area. No specific addresses were mentioned. If the drive continues, around 5,000 people will be forced onto the streets,” he said.Ranchi mayor Roshni Khalkho, however, said the civic body’s role in the exercise was limited. “RMC has only been making public announcements regarding the eviction drive. We do not have any major role in carrying out the eviction itself,” she said.
anti-encroachment drive