THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With just a few weeks left for Onam, the town planning wing of the city corporation is on a mission to identify major encroachments on footpaths and unauthorised constructions in the city.“We have been preparing a list of violators who have encroached on footpaths with unauthorised constructions or by illegally parking their vehicles.
After submitting the report to Mayor VK Prasanth, we plan to launch a massive eviction drive in the coming days and remove all such constructions obstructing the path of pedestrians,” said Palayam Rajan, chairman, Town Planning Standing Committee.
Corporation officials had conducted inspections in the past few weeks and notices were served on violators. “Reports on notices served on the violators were submitted by respective assistant executive engineers on Tuesday. These reports will now be submitted to the mayor,” said Rajan.
More than 150 violations were found in Fort, Peroorkada, Poojappura, Ulloor, Pettah, Perunthanni and Chalai areas, as per the latest report. “It is likely that violations related to the encroachments on footpaths in various parts of the city might number above 500 once the inspection is completed,” said Rajan.
The city corporation has to finalise the bylaw for street vendors as per the latest gazette notification of the state government. The government issued a notification as per the Central Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, in February. As per this, vending zones, restricted vending zones and non-vending zones shall be identified based on the volume of traffic, number of pedestrians and the potential of the area.
Three months ago, the health wing had identified around 500 vendors who had set up stalls blocking the free movement of pedestrians on footpaths in various parts of the city. Similarly, 10 makeshift tents erected by protestors in front of the Secretariat were dismantled which posed difficulty for pedestrians. Corporation officials are planning a meeting with the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi next month to finalise the bylaw.
Incoming drive