Nagpur civic body clears encroachments on Khamla plot for five-star hotel construction, ET RealEstate
NAGPUR: The anti-encroachment squad of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Thursday carried out an anti-encroachment drive on Plot No. 4 of Orange City Street in Khamla to clear the way for the construction of a five-star hotel. The 4,294.05sqm plot was auctioned by NMC for Rs80 crore under the Smart City project.
NMC officials from Laxmi Nagar zone, supported by police personnel, executed the drive by evicting vendors near the mutton market and installing iron railings along the footpath to prevent re-encroachment.
Local BJP leader Surendra Pande, who was present during the drive, strongly opposed the selective action. He demanded that NMC also act against hardware shops, builders, and godowns that encroached roads and footpaths. “Why target only poor hawkers with licences? Large-scale encroachments by traders are ignored despite multiple complaints,” he said.
Vendors said the action was unjust. “We were selling seasonal fruits and meat here for years. Some of us even have hawker licences. Now we are being displaced without alternative arrangements,” said Mohammad Naseem, a meat vendor.
Residents and social activists echoed the concern, alleging that stalls used tarpaulins for sun protection and not for permanent occupation. “These carts cost around Rs15,000 and are the only source of livelihood for many. Demolishing them with JCBs is harsh,” said one of the residents. Residents, along with Pandey, also raised objections against the developer of the project for encroaching on the footpath with a tin shed.
Praful Deshmukh, the developer, clarified that a 1.5-metre strip on the 3.5-metre-wide footpath would remain for pedestrians, and the rest would be barricaded temporarily to ensure the plot is kept construction-ready. “The evicted vendors were assured of alternative space once the new market is built under the redevelopment plan,” he claimed.
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