HDMC launches demolition drive to clear encroachments

Hubballi: After a lull of three months, Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) has launched a drive to clear footpath encroachment and remove illegal permanent structures on HDMC land on Monday.Many footpaths have been encroached by vendors to run their petty shop businesses like small tea stalls, paan beeda shops, footwear shops, flower shops and other shops that have left the pedestrians fuming and it has also congested the main roads in areas like Station Road, Koppikar Road, Dajibanpeth, Gokul Road, Court Circle, Deshapnengar and other areas in Hubballi and Tikare Road, Gandhichowk, Subhas Road, Line Bazar Road, and other main streets in Dharwad city. “People have raised complaints about encroachment of footpaths that forced HDMC and police department to clear footpaths in some parts of Dharwad and Hubbali city. After the drive, the vendors have again started encroaching footpaths to run their business hampering smooth movement of vehicles in main roads,” a source said.Gopal Krishna, HDMC commissioner told TOI that we had stopped the drive prior to the election. “In the last two-three months, some vendors have again encroached on footpaths leaving no space for pedestrians and also hampering the smooth movement of traffic in busy areas of the city. We have resumed the demolition drive from Monday.”“Today, we have cleared and demolished 23 illegal petty shops on either side of Gadag Road. These encroachments are forcing pedestrians to walk on roads risking their lives in busy junctions. In the last six months to one year, we have demolished hundreds of petty shops,” he said.“Without giving any notice or intimation, we will demolish shops that have encroached. If there is a permanent structure, we will conduct a survey and issue notice and start the process of demolition,” Krishna said, adding, “To facilitate vendors, we have established 45 vendors’ zones in Hubballi and Dharwad. While many vendors have shifted to these zones, some others are still reluctant to shift. A vendor should seek permission to run their business in specified vendors’ zones. All shops which are running without permission will be demolished during the drive,” he said.
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