KMC demolishes bamboo structure outside Abhishek Banerjee's Kalighat residence
Synopsis
A bamboo shed outside Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee's Kalighat home — originally built for Z-Plus security personnel under a previous regime — was demolished by KMC on 12 November, just hours after Banerjee publicly accused Kolkata Police of surveilling his residence. The timing makes a routine municipal action look anything but routine.
Key Takeaways
KMC staff and Kolkata Police demolished a makeshift bamboo structure outside Abhishek Banerjee 's Kalighat residence on Thursday, 12 November .
An iron gate allegedly encroaching on the footpath was also cut and removed by KMC workers.
TMC spokesman Arka Kumar Nag said the removal was ordered by Abhishek Banerjee himself, stating the shed was originally built for Z-Plus security personnel since withdrawn.
The structure had sparked controversy since crowds gathered under it during the MP's birthday celebrations on the night of 6–7 November .
On Wednesday , hours before the demolition, Banerjee publicly alleged Kolkata Police was surveilling and snooping on him via a social media post.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), accompanied by Kolkata Police personnel, on Thursday, 12 November 2026, demolished and removed a makeshift bamboo structure standing in front of the Kalighat residence of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary and Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee in South Kolkata. The demolition was carried out under a heavy police presence, capping days of mounting controversy over the structure's presence on a public footpath.
How the Demolition Unfolded
The process had begun on Wednesday evening when TMC workers initiated the removal on their own. KMC staff arrived on Thursday morning with a bulldozer to complete the job. An iron gate installed along the boundary wall of the MP's residence — which locals had long alleged encroached upon the footpath — was also dismantled: KMC workers first cut through it with a gas cutter before hauling it away. A large police contingent remained on site throughout to prevent any escalation.
What the TMC Said
TMC spokesman Arka Kumar Nag, who also serves as one of Abhishek Banerjee's legal counsel, maintained that the removal was entirely voluntary and directed by the Diamond Harbour MP himself. 'The temporary structure was meant for the seating arrangement of the police personnel when the Diamond Harbour MP was entitled to Z-Plus security during the previous regime. Now, after that change of regime, the Z-Plus security had been lifted. So, there was no use for that makeshift construction. Hence, the Diamond Harbour MP instructed the removal of the makeshift bamboo structure,' Nag said.
Background: Controversy Over the Shed
The bamboo shed had been a subject of local debate for several days. Tensions surfaced on the intervening night of 6 and 7 November when large crowds gathered beneath the structure during birthday celebrations for the MP, drawing complaints from residents who alleged it obstructed pedestrian movement. The incident reignited broader questions about whether a sitting lawmaker's private security arrangements were encroaching on public space.
Abhishek's Surveillance Allegation
The timing of the removal carries a political undertone. On Wednesday, just hours before TMC workers began dismantling the shed, Abhishek Banerjee publicly accused the Kolkata Police of placing his residence under constant surveillance and snooping on him — remarks he made in a post on social media. Critics noted that the swift removal of the structure, framed as the MP's own decision, followed almost immediately after that allegation, raising questions about whether the action was pre-emptive.
What Happens Next
The KMC action clears a flashpoint that had been building in the Kalighat neighbourhood for over a week. Whether the removal defuses political tensions between Abhishek Banerjee and the police — or whether his surveillance allegation triggers a fresh round of exchanges — will determine the trajectory of this episode in the days ahead.
Point of View
But it arrived only after days of public pressure from local residents over footpath obstruction. The speed of the removal, following the birthday-night controversy and the surveillance accusation, suggests the TMC calculated that holding onto the structure had become a liability — and moved to cut it on its own terms before the administration could use it as a lever.
NationPress
12 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the bamboo structure outside Abhishek Banerjee's residence removed?
The structure was removed on 12 November by KMC staff and Kolkata Police after days of controversy over its presence on a public footpath. TMC spokesman Arka Kumar Nag said Abhishek Banerjee himself ordered its removal, explaining it had been built as a seating shed for Z-Plus security personnel assigned during a previous security regime — cover that has since been withdrawn.
What was the bamboo shed originally built for?
According to TMC spokesman Arka Kumar Nag, the makeshift bamboo structure was constructed as a seating arrangement for police personnel when Abhishek Banerjee held Z-Plus security cover under a previous political dispensation. After that security tier was withdrawn following the change of regime, the shed had no functional purpose, Nag said.
What controversy preceded the demolition?
Tensions flared in Kalighat on the night of 6–7 November during birthday celebrations for Abhishek Banerjee, when large numbers of people gathered under the shed. Local residents had also been complaining that the structure, along with an iron gate on the boundary wall, was obstructing pedestrian movement on the footpath.
What did Abhishek Banerjee allege about Kolkata Police?
On Wednesday, 11 November, Abhishek Banerjee alleged on social media that Kolkata Police was maintaining constant surveillance around his residence and snooping on him. The TMC then began removing the bamboo structure later the same evening, with KMC completing the work the following morning.
Was anything else removed along with the bamboo shed?
Yes. An iron gate installed outside the boundary wall of the Diamond Harbour MP's residence was also removed. KMC workers first cut through it with a gas cutter and then hauled it away. Local residents had long complained that the gate encroached upon the public footpath.
