Following the demolition of the old gate at Sri Krishna Rajendra Market (SKRM), panic gripped footpath vendors on Sethuram Road situated at the west gate of K R Market.
The hawkers fear that they will now be evicted anytime by the BBMP.
According to the traders, the Palike officials used excavators and brought down the grill fencing on Monday. However, only part of the grill on one side of the footpath was razed.
“From 8.30pm, they began the demolition as we stood helpless. They did not listen to us even as some of us protested. We were told by officials that the road would be widened. Had they informed us earlier, we would have shifted to some other place. Where will we go, if they evict us from here?,” asked fruit vendor Mohammed Shah.
Another vendor Kalaiselvi said no notice was given to them about the demolition activity. “We are planning protests in the coming days if they tell us to move from here,” she said.
Apart from the grill, an old structure on the left side of the market was also demolished. Meanwhile, members of the K R Market Flower Merchants’ Association maintained that they were unaware of the activity undertaken by the Corporation on Monday.
President of the association GM Divakar said, “The grill separates Avenue Road from Sethuram Road. But we are clueless as to why the decision was taken by the Palike to increase the width of Sethuram Road as it is already broad.”
‘Eviction Inevitable’
BBMP officials told Express that they had to evict the hawkers to widen the road. “There is a big traffic problem there. To clear traffic, this decision had been taken. Regarding informing the vendors, the Palike did not find it necessary as they are staying illegally on BBMP’s property,” they said.