PRAYAGRAJ, July 16 -- The Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) along with tehsil administration, carried out a major anti-encroachment drive at the TCI intersection in the Naini Kotwali area of Prayagraj on Wednesday, demolishing more than 40 shops and houses allegedly built on encroached land. The operation began around 5am amid protests from local residents and property owners. A heavy police deployment was made to maintain law and order, with officers from the Karchana and Bara circles, along with tehsil officials, present throughout the drive. According to officials, the PDA team arrived with three JCB machines and started removing structures that had been previously marked for demolition. The authorities stated that the action was part of an ongoing effort to facilitate road widening, urban beautification, and the removal of illegal encroachments. Property owners, however, alleged that the demolition was carried out without prior notice. They claimed that no official communication had been served before the action began. PDA officials rejected the allegation, maintaining that notices had been issued in advance to the affected occupants. The demolition operation continued for nearly two to three hours, during which more than three dozen commercial establishments and residential structures were razed....