The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Axe falls on shops along pavements

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 19, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Axe falls on shops along pavements

Staff Reporter

Tambaram traders see `bias' in eviction operation

CONTROVERSIAL OPERATION: An earthmover removing unauthorised structures from the muncipality's complex in West Tambaram on Friday. — PHOTO: A. MURALITHARAN.

TAMBARAM : Workers of the Tambaram Municipality evicted pavement shops and other unauthorised structures in and near the municipality's Jeeva Complex on Friday.

But the action evoked criticism from local traders, who alleged that the operation had skipped "some influential merchants and was also done at the behest of ruling partymen."

An earth moving equipment brought by the municipal authorities began clearing pavement shops near the municipal office premises, the pedestrian subway and projections made by some shops located in Jeeva Complex.

Officials said there were several shops on the ground floor of the complex and they collected rent from them. Some of the shop-owners modified these shops and had sub-let the space to others. The shop-owners did not have any right to modify the shops or sub-let the premises. Those who were found guilty of violations would be penalised, they said.

However, a section of the traders, whose structures were brought down, alleged the eviction operation only reflected a ``biased attitude'' of the local body. While the civic workers were blind to the glaring violations of rule, indulged in by those traders who exercised `influence' on the municipality, other helpless traders were left with no option.

They sought to know why the municipality never bothered to remove temporary and even permanent structures installed by big commercial organisations on arterial roads in the town, but never missed an opportunity to harass small traders in the guise of evicting encroachments.

Members of the Small Shops Merchants Association in Tambaram, on condition of anonymity, said that such an eviction operation was carried out at the behest of ruling partymen, particularly some of the elected representatives.

However, officials denied the charge, stating it was done only after they had received complaints from the public as the structures came in the way of pedestrians and vehicles.

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