KRISHNAGIRI: Hosur Municipal Corporation on Tuesday stopped its eviction drive, following protests by Hosur Corporation Roadside and Pushcart Vendors Welfare Association. The vendors alleged that the civic body did not serve formal notice but made announcements over the megaphone.
"Municipality officials and police wanted to evict shops occupying pavements and encroaching the road near the bus stand. Following protest by the association, the officials stopped the drive. We did not get proper information about eviction. A few days ago, HMC announced it through a public address system," said M Ramappa (52), who mends shoes at the entrance of the bus stand.
He added that association representatives will hold talks with HMC officials on the issue.
U Chinnasamy, president of the association, told The New Indian Express, "Many roadside shops are functioning for over 20 years. The HMC should declare the area as vending zone and issue identity cards to all vendors. So far, 260 vendors have identity cards and 2,000 have registered to get it. Dysfunctional vending committee for street vendors should be revived."
Municipality commissioner K Balasubramanian said he would look into the issue. "Soon 3,000 vendors will get identity cards and already a tender has been floated to provide identity cards. Also, notice can’t be served to platform or roadside vendors, so the eviction process was announced to vendors through public address system. Representatives of the association have given a few demands and it will be solved in a phased manner," he said.