The district administration on Monday carried out a major eviction drive in the Mirzapur area of Guwahati’s Azara locality, near the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, demolishing around 50 shops and commercial establishments allegedly built on agricultural land.

The operation was conducted under the supervision of officials from the Revenue Department with security support from police personnel. Bulldozers were deployed to clear the structures during the drive.

According to the administration, the establishments had been constructed on land designated for agricultural use and were being operated for commercial purposes in violation of existing land-use regulations.

The eviction triggered protests and strong reactions from local traders and residents, many of whom claimed that the affected businesses had been functioning for years on their own periodic patta (myadi patta) land.

Several shop owners alleged that the demolition was carried out without prior notice or sufficient time to relocate or make alternative arrangements. They said the action had disrupted livelihoods and left several families without their primary source of income.

Tense scenes were reported during the operation as traders and local residents gathered to express dissatisfaction over the eviction. Many affected individuals stated that years of investment and business activity were erased within a few hours.

The administration has maintained that the drive was undertaken to enforce land-use regulations and clear commercial encroachments from agricultural land.