DEMOLITION DRIVE: Municipal Corporation staff removing shops from cellars of commercial complexes on Besant Road in Vijayawada on Tuesday. Photo: Raju V.

VIJAYAWADA: Resisting pressure from traders and public representatives, the Town Planning Wing of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) on Tuesday demolished unauthorised constructions in the cellar of a commercial complex on busy Besant Road.

A special team of the Town Planning Wing, in association with the Traffic Police, pulled down the constructions in the cellar of Tummidi Brothers, even as traders tried to stop the exercise.

As the demolition team arrived with huge earthmoving equipment and went about their job methodically, traders, taken by surprise, rushed to local corporator Muthamsetty Venkata Ratna Bindu (21st division) who, in turn, took them all to Mayor Tadi Sakuntala. The Mayor, accompanied by the corporator and the traders, visited Besant Road and interacted with Town Planning officials.

Without committing herself either way, the Mayor told the traders that she would ascertain facts from Municipal Commissioner Natarajan Gulzar and get back to them.

When contacted, Ms. Sakuntala told The Hindu that the drive had been stopped for the day as traders sought time to produce the original building plans.

Traffic bottleneck

Though there was a G.O. that ratified some constructions in the cellars during 1995-97, the particular one at Tummidi Brothers was a fit case for demolition. The steps jutting out from the complex had become a place for hawkers to carry out their business, which made it difficult for even a couple to walk freely on the road, she said.

The Mayor said despite several warnings given by the Commissioner of Police, the traders on Besant Road had not got their cellar constructions ratified. Many of them were irregular taxpayers too. However, she found fault with the manner in which the Town Planning team began the demolition without first asking those doing the shopping in the cellar to come out.

Planner talks tough

City Planner K. Anand Babu said the demolitions were part of a drive against unauthorised constructions such as shops, which came up in cellars meant for parking in major commercial complexes. The demolition teams already pulled down unauthorised constructions in the cellars of five complexes on Ali Baig Street earlier.

"The cellars are meant only for parking of vehicles. Once shops are allowed to come up in the cellars, vehicles are naturally parked on the roads, leading to traffic jams. After 1995, it has been made mandatory for all major commercial complexes to reserve the cellar for parking, and wherever there is violation, we will take action," he made clear.

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