The district administration of the Sadiya launched an eviction drive at the roadside reserve land at the National Highway 115 in Chapakhuwa locality on Friday morning.  

The administration earlier had made an announcement of the drive on Thursday through a notification.  

Bulldozers were used on Friday to remove more than 20 reported unlawfully built commercial buildings from the roadside reserve property.  

An official of the administration stated that the drive will continue from Pokaphool to Medical Chariali localities as well.  

Speaking to the media, the official from the administration said, “We will continue our drive against the erection of commercial structures on reserve land adjacent to National Highway on both the sides. Many individuals have built these structures on each side of the National Highway illegally; some of them even constructed temples as well. Today we have started the eviction drive and it will continue further.”  

It is to be noted that state government has been conducting back to back eviction drives against illegal encroachments across various districts after the chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP government came to power on May 2021.  

Two days back, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) also launched an eviction drive at the Bogapani locality in Digboi police station under Tinsukia district.  

The situation turned tense after security forces allegedly lathi-charge local residents as they attempted to stop an eviction drive by the NFR.  

Sources informed that several local people sustained injuries during the clash with the police and the security forces.  

The Digboi police, however, said that there were no injuries in the clash.