Tiruchi Corporation launches evection drive at night to clear encroachments on pavements

Some of the mobile outlets start doing business in the evening and stay open till midnight on busy roads and the civic body decided to crack down on them at night

Tiruchi Corporation has embarked on a special drive to evict encroachments on pavements along major roads in all five zones of the city.

Pavements and carriageways on major roads in the city have been encroached upon by commercial establishments, eateries and mobile outlets. These mobile outlets utilise the public space to serve their customers and they often park their vehicles on the road and also occupy the pavement.

Following complaints from residents and road safety activists, the Corporation intensified its crackdown on encroachments to free up space for pedestrians.

Since some of the mobile outlets set up shops during the evening and operate till midnight, the civic body decided to crack down on them at night. Around 18 mobile food outlets and shops operating at night along Bharathiar Salai, Railway Junction, Central Bus Stand, and nearby roads were removed on Saturday.

“The properties have been seized and a warning issued to the owners. The commercial roads will be monitored and the violators penalised,” said a senior Corporation official.

Similarly, a two-day drive was undertaken to evict 22 shops, including push carts, makeshift fruit stalls, and mobile food outlets on the Tiruchi-Pudukottai National Highway. The stretch from the Velan Hospital to the MGR Statue and near TVS Tollgate were cleared of encroachments.

The road had become congested because of rampant encroachments at various points. With hawkers occupying the service road, customers travelling by the vehicles would halt, buy the goods and then proceed on the highway creating a chaos.

“The stretch would be used to set up a park or pave a walking track for residents to prevent encroachments. Frequent evection drives would be carried out to prevent unauthorised shops hindering the free flow of vehicles and occupying the public space,” said V. Saravanan, Corporation Commissioner.

Although the civic body had been regularly clearing the encroachments, they keep coming back. The problem has become acute along several roads, including Karur Bypass, Salai Road, Sastri Road, Thanjavur Road, Puthur High Road, Vayalur Road, West Boulevard Road, Singarathope, and Teppakulam.

Published - October 06, 2024 08:21 pm IST