THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Protests continue to create chaos near the Secretariat, causing inconvenience to motorists and pedestrians alike. The corporation and the police responsible for clearing the encroachment are turning a blind eye towards the issue, say many commuters. According to motorists, the Secretariat witnesses multiple agitations by various organisations and the protesters take over the sidewalks and the road, disrupting movement. It is happening despite the orders from the State Human Rights Commission and Kerala High Court against such violations.
As many as 5,000 employees work and hundreds of people arrive at the Secretariate daily. Federation of Residents’ Association (FRAT) president M S Venugopal said successive governments have failed to address the issue. “During protests, normal life is thrown out of gear. Every other alternate road gets congested because of the diversion. We have approached the authorities many times but failed to get any result. There were discussions to shift the protest venue to a place away from the city,” said Venugopal.
As the assembly is convening, the traffic authorities expect more protest marches. “It’s the responsibility of the local body to clear the encroachments and we have been asked to assist. We remove dangerously located encroachments. The issue needs to be addressed at a higher level,” said an official of the traffic wing. An official of the corporation said they take immediate action to clear encroachments based on the complaints. “Political parties and the government should decide on shifting the protest to another place,” said the official.