Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Over 50 vegetable shops along Pulla Avenue removed

By Saptarshi Bhattacharya

CHENNAI AUG. 21. In a mid-afternoon operation, the Chennai Corporation removed over 50 vegetable shops and many temporary structures encroaching on the footpath along Pulla Avenue in Shenoy Nagar on Thursday.

The Corporation personnel swung into action bulldozing temporary structures along the eastern side of the road, which housed vegetable and fruit shops. Unmindful of the light drizzle, the personnel pulled down all the other structures along the road including signboards and projections from the shops. The lanes and by-lanes off the Pulla Avenue were cleared too, in the presence of a posse of policemen.

The Corporation officials at the spot said they were only leaving off cantilever projections for the next phase of the drive.

An all-party meeting prior to the drive was encouraging and almost all parties supported the civic body's initiative to rid the road margins of encroachments, the officials added.

However, a flagpost and a name board of the fruits and vegetables traders association bearing the sketch of the Chief Minister and names of some of the AIADMK leaders, was left off by the civic officials on condition that they be removed by traders themselves.

The Assistant Commissioner of Kilpauk Zone, K. Srinivasan, said in his jurisdictional area, similar operations were carried out during the night on Nelson Manickam Road, Sterling Road, Sivaganga Road and Valluvar Kottam Road where only bunks were removed. A temple encroaching almost halfway into Nelson Manickam Road had narrowed the carriageway considerably leading to congestion, he said.

Removal of religious structures, party mandrams and statues, which may evoke public outcry, would be taken up during the next phase after favourable public opinion was generated, Mr. Srinivasan added.

Also, the vendors recommended for alternative sites by the Hawking Committee would not be disturbed, he added.

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