Patna: The Patna district administration, along with Patna Police and the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC), carried out a major anti-encroachment drive in the Kurji area on Friday, reclaiming around one bigha of land along the Ganga riverfront. Acting on the directions of Patna DM Thiyagarajan S M, authorities demolished ‘unauthorised’ showrooms and service centres belonging to two major car brands.The structures, located between Ganga Path gates 61 and 63, were found to be in violation of building bylaws as well as National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Supreme Court directives prohibiting construction on unsurveyed floodplains, where private land claims are considered legally invalid.The operation began at 6am and was supervised by three senior magistrates. Around 10 magistrates, municipal officials and nearly 100 police personnel, including women constables, were deployed for the drive. Authorities used six earthmovers, one crane and a vibrator machine to demolish the structures and remove debris.The DM said clearing encroachments along the riverfront was essential to protect public land and facilitate infrastructure projects.The drive was part of an ongoing citywide anti-encroachment campaign.In Buddha Colony, the PMC has been clearing land for the proposed Ekta Mall near BD Public School, where 30 houses and five cattle sheds (khatals) have already been removed.Friday marked the 18th consecutive day of the multi-agency drive in May. During the campaign, authorities removed temporary encroachments such as kiosks and banners from areas including Kankarbagh, Bankipore and Danapur. Officials also seized unauthorised materials and imposed fines on violators, collecting Rs1,45,400 on Friday alone.Officials said follow-up teams are monitoring cleared sites, while the administration has directed mandatory FIRs against repeat offenders to prevent fresh encroachments.To ensure smooth traffic flow and prevent re-encroachment, the additional district magistrate (urban administration) has been instructed to conduct regular clearance operations through the city’s Integrated Urban Management Unit.
