Eviction drive: BBMB razes 12 shops in Talwara, more to go

The markets of Sector-4 Interstate barrier in Talwara are gripped by fear and uncertainty as the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) intensifies its eviction drive against shops built on its acquired land. Nearly 80 shopkeepers have received eviction notices and 12 shops have already been demolished, leaving the local trading community anxious about their future.

BBMB Executive Engineer Vinay Kumar confirmed that the action is part of the Board’s long-term eviction plan. “These shops are set to be demolished as per the eviction plan since they have been illegally raised on BBMB land. Not only these 80, but there are 264 more such shops illegally built at different places which are also set to be razed,” he said. Kumar added that despite repeated eviction notices, occupants failed to vacate the premises, compelling BBMB to proceed in strict accordance with the law.

The origins of the dispute trace back several decades. During the construction of the Pong Dam, BBMB acquired land across several locations including Talwara Sector-4 Barrier, Kshi Pandayan, Dohar, Bheda, Bhode Da Khoh, Sandhwa, Jheer Da Khoh, and other villages along the Talwara-Hajipur road. While some portions were utilised immediately, other tracts remained vacant after the dam’s completion. Over time, local residents began setting up kiosks and shops on these unused plots, eventually transforming the area into a thriving market hub.

Last week, the BBMB Pong Dam Management’s Township Department issued fresh notices to around 60 shop owners in Sector-4 Barrier, directing them to vacate within seven days. On Monday, a demolition team comprising Executive Magistrate Talwara Rakesh Agarwal, ASI Prem Singh from Talwara Police Station, BBMB officials led by Vinay Kumar, along with the SDO, JE, Patwari and law officers, reached the site with a JCB machine at around 11.00 am. Shops that had remained closed for a long time were the first to be demolished.

The move follows a December 19, 2024, meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner Hoshiarpur, during which BBMB SE Manveer Chaudhary raised concerns over widespread encroachments on BBMB land. Subsequently, the BBMB Board Office drafted the “Eviction Plan 2025–26,” targeting more than 280 unauthorised structures under its RM Division. The ongoing demolition drive, which commenced on January 10, 2025, is part of this broader plan.

The crackdown has triggered political responses. A delegation of shopkeepers led by Mukerian MLA Jangilal Mahajan met BBMB Pong Dam Chief Engineer Rakesh Gupta seeking relief. “I will make every possible effort so that no shopkeeper in my area becomes homeless or jobless,” Mahajan said, adding that he would try to negotiate with BBMB Chairman Manoj Tripathi to allow shopkeepers to retain their shops on a rental basis rather than face total displacement.

Dasuya MLA Karmveer Singh Ghumman also visited the site and met affected shopkeepers. Several traders informed him that they had been running their businesses there for over 40 years and had no alternative means of livelihood. “We will fight this battle together till the end. I will do my best to ensure that the shops of economically poor shopkeepers are not demolished,” Ghumman assured.

For now, tension remains palpable in the marketplace. Shop shutters stay half-open as traders operate in an atmosphere of apprehension, dreading the return of the demolition team. Some have already begun relocating their stock to safer locations, while others cling to hope that political intervention might pave the way for a compromise.

While BBMB maintains that the removal of encroachments is a legal necessity, affected shopkeepers argue that they are an integral part of Talwara’s economic ecosystem and have been contributing to the local economy for decades. The standoff between legal rights and livelihood continues, with the fate of hundreds of shops — not just in Talwara, but across BBMB-acquired areas — hanging in uncertainty. For many, the threat extends far beyond the loss of property — it signals the end of a lifetime’s work.