The Raipur Municipal Corporation (RMC) on Thursday removed as many as 11 shops to pave the way for carrying out the proposed road widening work at Motibagh Chowk in the city.
The shops were situated in a row between Banjariwale Baba’s shrine and Evergreen Chowk.
All the affected shopkeepers were shifted in a market, developed a few yards behind by RMC on a ‘self-finance model’, before razing down the structures. After Thursday’s drive, the widening work of Motibagh Chowk road from its previous width of 80 ft to 100 ft was expected to commence soon.
The drive was launched by a joint team comprising of the officials from RMC Revenue Market Department, RMC Zone-7, RMC City Investment Department and the district administration.
Besides, a force from the city police was deployed at the spot to avert any untoward situation. RMC Deputy Commissioner (Revenue), Dr lavkush Singrol and RMC Zone-7 Commissioner, Dr Preetam Mishra led the drive.
As many as three 3D machines, a number of labourers and security guards were pressed into the task.
“All 11 shopkeepers have been shifted in a 60-shop market of RMC situated just behind the road. The market was developed on RMC’s land in 2009 and before today’s drive, as many as 49 shopkeepers have been shifted , whose establishments were posing as hurdles in Motibagh-Chowk road widening work” said Mishra.
He added that RMC has recently shifted all the remaining 11 shopkeepers in the market to remove their establishments from this stretch. The road widening work will ease traffic burden on this busy route.