Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)

Updated

Mangaluru, Jul 26: Continuing her keen watch on the illegal goings-on in the city, mayor Kavita Sanil and her team of MCC officials on Wednesday July 26 inspected the traffic, reckless parkings, illegal no-parking zones and encroachments in parts of the city.

The mayor and her team were accompanied by DCP Hanumantharaya and ACP (traffic) Tilakchandra.

The team inspected the route from PVS circle to all the way to State Bank for illegal parkings and encrochments.

Along the way, officials ordered petty shop owners to remove their carts and shops by evening, and warned them of action if the orders were not followed.

Illegal parking signs put up commercial complexes and shops were removed by the officials. One of the commercial establishments included Medifair complex at Karangalpady.

Also, hoardings were removed near Dr Ambedkar circle (Jyothi) and several vendors who had lined up their businesses on the footpath at Hampankatta were evicted. Some stalls near an ice cream parlour were also cleared. Some of the street vendors and petty shop owners were told to remove their businesses, with a warning that if they do not, notice would be issued.

Protest

The street vendors at Hampankatta and State Bank staged a flash protest as the mayor and her team moved to evict the encroachments on the footpaths. Nearly a hundred people gathered at the spot and shouted slogans against the MCC for trying to evict them.

The vendors contended that it was 'wrong' on the part of the MCC to evict them from the area without making separate arrangements for them to sell their goods.

The mayor, however, said that separate arrangement had already been made for them at State Bank and 208 vendors had even been given identity cards to conduct their businesses, but none of them made use of the facility.

Speaking to reporters, the mayor Kavita said, "Today we undertook inspection to check illegal parkings and encroachments along with the traffic police, corporators and the officials. Most of the petty shops and street vendors have been cleared. But when we reached State Bank area, the street vendors went on a sudden protest against us for clearing the streets.

"Even though we have provided separate space for street vendors, they are not making use of it. We are not getting enough cooperation from them. They make it difficult for pedestrians to walk on the footpaths. There is also foul smell in the area because of their businesses. We have given identity cards to 208 vendors to run their businesses in the separate space provided to them, but none of them cooperates," the mayor said.

Finally, the police intervened and dispersed the crowds. The street vendors were eventually evicted.

Some days ago, the mayor and her team had raided illegal skill game centres and massage parlours in the city for functioning without trade licences.