A day after removing hawkers from Panampilly Nagar, the civic administration has decided “not to convert the area into another Broadway,” where street-vending thrives.
It was after the persistent demands from civic representatives in Kochi Corporation council meetings and representations from residents that the Health wing of the local body sprang into action the other day.
Mayor Soumini Jain had to pull up the Health officials at the last meeting of the council as they failed to come up with an explanation for not removing the hawkers despite repeated instructions from the administration.
The clean-up drive witnessed the removal of illegally put up stalls, eateries and fish stalls from the nooks and corners of the road stretch between Manorama Junction and Koithara Road, said P.D. Martin, a civic representative from the region.
The local body has spent a significant amount, said Ms. Jain, purchasing land for developing bell mouths on roads as no one gave away the land free of cost. Moreover, the local body cannot remain a mute spectator when the footpaths and pathways in the region that were developed using the money of the general public are illegally occupied. The encroachments on the footpaths and service roads have denied the pedestrians access to the facilities, she said.
The administration cannot allow Panampilly Nagar to be converted into a Broadway, she said.
The civic authority hopes to keep the area clean of encroachments through continuous monitoring. The Health Inspectors have been asked to step up the vigil and not to allow the return of illegal street vendors, she said.
Mr. Martin suggested the intervention of police to check the practice. The issue was raised in the corporation council a few times. The authorities should seek police support for checking the illegal trade in the region, he said.
Even while supporting the clean-up drive, V.P. Chandran, the CPI(M) leader in the council, said the issue involved the livelihood of people. A large number of people were earning their livelihood through the shops. One needs to strike a balance between the two aspects of the issue, he said.
On the issue of commercial units operating from the residential buildings in the area and the local body notifying Panampilly Nagar a a mixed zone, the Mayor said the civic administration would wait for the judicial decision. Since some litigation on the issue are pending before the Kerala High Court, the local body cannot bring out any bylaws or actions in the sector. The civic body will wait for the final orders of the court, she said.