Kerala - Kochi   

Land valued at Rs.25 crore recovered in eviction drive

Staff Reporter

Area from Padma junction to Convent Road cleared

WORK ON: The gate and compound wall of a cinema on MG Road in the city that were on encroached land being pulled down by the district administration on Wednesday. — Photo:Vipinchandran

KOCHI: The eviction drive on the MG Road to recover revenue land that was encroachment on has been temporarily suspended after the State Government's decision to grant seven days' time for encroachers to take necessary corrective measures.

Meanwhile, the drive continued for the second day on Wednesday during which the area from Padma junction to the Convent Road was cleared of encroachments. "Forty cents, the market value of which could be around Rs.25 crore, were resumed during the daylong drive," A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish told The Hindu. Altogether property worth Rs.50 crore was attached to the Government kitty within two days, he said.

A side road starting from near the Rajaji Road and leading up to TD Road was "re-discovered" years after it had vanished. A hotel was found encroaching on the area. The hotel's compound wall was also pulled down though its officials claimed that they were served notice only in the morning and therefore were entitled to more time to adopt corrective measures. Another building, which housed an optical shop, was almost fully demolished. The entrance gate and board of a hospital in the area were also demolished.

Temple arch

Tension prevailed following arguments over the arch of Tirumala Devaswom temple placed at the beginning of a side road leading up to the temple. The community members argued that the notice served to them demanded the demolition of 10 cm of aerial encroachment of the arch. "However, the officials made a fresh marking according to which the entire arch had to be pulled down, which we would oppose at any cost," N. Shenoy, a temple trustee member said.

In another development, a canal, which no longer existed, was found to have been encroached by a cluster of establishments, including a textile shop, a jewellery shop, and a cinema.

The portion adjacent to the jewellery shop leading up to its parking area was demolished though later it became clear that the area had been allotted by the Corporation itself for running a `pay-and-park' facility on a contract basis.

The gate and compound wall of the movie house, which were on encroached land, were pulled down. As the theatre authorities disputed the encroachments markings made deep inside the theatre premises, further action had been kept pending, Mr. Hanish said.

Cardiff councillors

The eviction drive had some foreign spectators on Wednesday as a group of city councillors from Cardiff, the United Kingdom, came visiting. "We are surprised that such a decisive action is being taken by a City Corporation in India," Julian Steadman, the town Planning Head of Cardiff said.

The police had a tough time controlling the crowd as hundreds of city dwellers gathered to witness the eviction and to cheer and applaud the officials. The bigger the status of the evictee more vociferous was the public support. Slogans hailing Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and the District Collector rent the air. "It took almost 40 years and a leader of the stature of V.S. Achuthanandan to undo the injustice imposed over a city thereby showing the world that law was applicable to rich and the poor alike," Senjith. T. Varghese, a contractor, said.

Business in the MG Road area was hit for the second day as most firms remained shut and even those that functioned registered lukewarm business. Traders reiterated the allegation that they were not given enough time besides complaining that anti-social elements were exploiting the eviction drive.

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