Siliguri, 29th November: An attempt by an engineer from the Housing Construction Department to vacate a piece of land on Hill Cart Road, near the Siliguri Junction area, on Friday ended in failure. The engineer was forced to return empty-handed after facing opposition from local shopkeepers.
The land in question, about 2.5 acres, has been used by businessmen for years, who run more than 100 shops and rely on the area for their livelihood. The Housing Department had previously instructed the traders to vacate the land, leading to a petition filed by the businessmen in court regarding ownership rights. The court hearing is reportedly ongoing.
On Friday, Assistant Engineer Asim Bala arrived at the site to implement the eviction, but was confronted by the traders. They accused him of misusing his position, stating that they had been operating businesses there for over two decades and were falsely told that the eviction was ordered by the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO). They added that the SDO has not giving such instructions.
In response, Assistant Engineer Bala clarified that his visit was to inspect the land, and due to the absence of proper documentation, he would return with full preparation next time. He also denied the allegations against him.
When contacted over phone, the SDO of Siliguri stated that an investigation would be conducted into the matter, and action would be taken if anyone had misused his name.