Pavement encroachments in Vijayanagar cleared

Pavement encroachments in Vijayanagar cleared

The Hindu

Operation was taken up on a two-km stretch of the service road


Bangalore: The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) has cleared the pavement encroachments on a two-km stretch on the service road from Chord Road to 5th Main Road in RPC Layout.

J.T. Balaraj, assistant executive engineer, told The Hindu that more than 60 steps, about 100 shelters and other construction extending onto the pavement had been removed. Materials from shops dumped on the footpaths had also been cleared, he said.

Police presence

Mr. Balaraj said that 60 gangmen and 10 engineers were involved in the operation. Policemen were also present at the spot.

No untoward incident was reported during the drive, he said.

"It (service road) is a very busy road and clearing the encroachments has made things easy for the public," Mr. Balaraj said.

On June 29, the Binnypet division of the BMP cleared encroachments and removed banners on Nagarbhavi Main Road.

Clearing encroachments is part of a regular drive launched by the BMP to spruce up the city by improving the state of footpaths, replacing kerbstones and filling potholes, among other things. Display signs, product displays, mini garages for two wheelers and autorickshaws, mechanic shops and mobile laundries are among those that cause obstruction to pedestrians on pavements.

Gardens

In some of the upmarket neighbourhoods, some building owners to prevent people from spoiling their compound walls maintain gardens on the footpath outside.

All these will have to go, BMP officials say.

Koramangala demolitions

The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike did not take up fresh demolitions in Koramangala on Friday, BMP Joint Commissioner (East) N. Jayaram said.

"A few buildings could not be completely demolished due to fading light on Thursday. Only the leftover work was taken up," he said.

Asked when the next phase of demolitions would be taken up, Mr. Jayaram said it had not yet been decided.

The BMP has identified 100 buildings that have violated the building bylaws.