Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram   

Unauthorised structures at Palayam demolished

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Dec. 9. The City Corporation today revived the drive against unauthorised construction and encroachments on public property and evicted six makeshift stalls and extensions from the Palayam area.

Corporation officials aided by police removed awnings and makeshift stalls put up by traders on the eastern side of the University Library. Several footpath vendors in the area were directed to move out or face action.

Town Planning officials said the crackdown was aimed at evicting the encroachments on roads and footpaths which were posing a nuisance for pedestrians. The rash of unauthorised structures in the congested Palayam commercial area had led to a public outcry, forcing the local body to launch the operation.

The current drive against encroachments and unauthorised vendors is the fourth one over the last one year. In August, the Corporation had evicted dozens of unlicensed bunk shops, makeshift stalls and footpath vendors from various places in the city.

Earlier, in April, the district administration launched a heavy crackdown on unlicensed constructions and illegal shops in the city. Dozens of wayside shops and unauthorised outlets were evicted from the General hospital, Thakarapparambu and Fort areas.

Corporation officials said that the earlier operations had to be called off in the face of stiff resistance from traders who were often supported by councillors. They said the crackdown would be extended to the Chala, Killipalam and Museum areas in the next few days.

The UDF opposition in the Corporation Council alleges that the drive against unauthorised buildings is often bogged down by vested interests backed by civic officials. The LDF however maintains that Government meddling is preventing the Corporation from going all out to evict encroachments.

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