Nanded: The administration began an anti-encroachment drive at Akhada Balapur on Friday, and the operation continued on Saturday. Encroachments on the Nanded–Hingoli Highway, the Balapur–Bolda Road, and the Balapur–Shevala Road were demolished on Saturday using three JCBs and three tractors under strict police bandobast.
Local shopkeepers, vendors, and traders had encroached upon the roads in Balapur, leading to frequent traffic congestion. Residents faced severe inconvenience as traders had set up cloth shops, hotels, grocery shops, dhabas, puncture shops, and fruit and flower stalls along the roadside.
The police administration and the Public Works Department had earlier issued notices to the encroachers, directing them to remove the illegal structures voluntarily. However, most traders ignored the notices. As a result, the PWD and Gram Panchayat, along with the police, launched the anti-encroachment operation on Friday and continued it the next day.
Balapur PI Vishnukant Gutte, API Dnyaneshwar Baswate, PSI Ganesh Gotke, beat jamadar Shaikh Ansar, Shivaji Pawar, Atul Mhaske, Sheshrao Jogdand, Pandhari Chavan, Arvind Jadhav, and others handled security during the drive.
