Bengal Congress stages protest march, targets illegal constructions and toll collection in Kolkata

The West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee organized a protest march in Kolkata on February 5, focused on two major issues: illegal constructions and illegal parking toll collections. The march started at the Legislative Assembly building and proceeded towards the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. The demonstrators, carrying banners and raising slogans, were met with barricades surrounding the Municipal Corporation area. Upon reaching the barricades, Congress workers attempted to submit a memorandum to the Mayor regarding their grievances. However, they were stopped by Kolkata police officers, leading to a brief confrontation.

The Congress protest emphasized the need to halt illegal constructions, particularly in central Kolkata, alleging that unauthorized developments were encroaching on public spaces and disrupting the city's planned growth. The protestors highlighted that such constructions were violating city zoning laws and building codes. Additionally, the Congress party raised the issue of illegal parking tolls being collected in various parts of Kolkata. They claimed that private operators were extorting fees from residents and commuters, bypassing official channels and violating municipal regulations on parking fees.

The protesters also expressed their dissatisfaction with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation's inaction on these issues. They called for stronger enforcement of building regulations to curb illegal constructions and demanded an investigation into the unauthorized parking toll collection system. The Congress workers indicated that they would continue their protest until these matters were addressed by the authorities and that they would escalate their actions if necessary.