KOCHI: With pressure mounting on the corporation to take action against the encroachment of 16 cents of prime real estate owned by the civic body at MG Road allegedly by a real estate firm, the civic authorities have decided to take action against it.As part of this, the Mayor, Opposition leader, chairpersons and corporation officials will visit the site of the encroachment on Tuesday. It was after Opposition leader K J Antony came out against the Mayor and the ruling front for the alleged nexus with the real estate mafia that the latter decided to take up the matter seriously. 

“ Nearly 16 cents of land worth `16 crore is lying idle. Though we have brought the issue before the council, the ruling front failed to take steps to initiate the action. We are pleased to see that the ruling front has finally decided to undertake a visit to Ground Zero to see the extent of encroachment,” said K J Antony,  Opposition leader.

K J Antony also warned of strong protests in the coming days if the corporation attempts to use the visit as a face-saving act.   “ We will stage a sit-in protest in front of the Mayor’s office if the civic body fails to take action against the encroachers. Merely visiting the site of the encroachment will not suffice, the encroachment must be cleared. We will fight until it happens,” he added.