No more empty kiosks

No more empty kiosks
S Lalitha
Cobblers have not been awarded licences to carry on business inside these cubicles by the BBMP due to a Karnataka High court judgement in connection with blockage of pavement space.

Most of the compact-looking, cobbler kiosks installed on the City’s pavements a couple of years ago are bereft of their rightful occupants. The reason: the cobblers have not been awarded licences to carry on business inside these cubicles by the BBMP due to a Karnataka High court judgement in connection with blockage of pavement space.
A fortnight ago, the court had asked the Corporation to consider the plea of cobblers to be given legal permission to go ahead with their business on pavements, informs a top BBMP official. “The corporation will seek legal opinion on the same and finalise it,” he added. Meanwhile, Joint Commissioners of the BBMP are also looking at identifying some other location other than footpaths to relocate the kiosks so that cobblers can carry on their business undisturbed.
Trinity Advertising Agency was awarded the contract for installing 50 such kiosks at prominent locations in 2005. These kiosks were created to rehabilitate cobblers evicted from KG Road in November 2003. As on date, 40 of them dot the pavements of Shivajinagar, Jayanagar, MG Road, Residency Road, Kamaraj Road, Richmond Road, Sankey Road and Majestic area. The cubicles have also been allotted in the names of individual cobblers by the Corporation.
However, in a case relating to an STD booth on pavements, the High Court had ruled in favour of preserving pedestrian space. "Footpaths are meant only for pedestrians and the BMP cannot put up any structures on them," it said. Following this, the Corporation did not issue licences to cobblers. Neither did they sign the necessary agreement with the contracted agency which wanted advertising rights for it.
The cobblers have been fighting for the right to use these boxes through their unions but are thorougly dissatisfied with these designer boxes. The major grouse is that the box is open on two sides. A cobbler is not able to lock the tools of his trade as well as his customer’s footwear when leaving for the day. “The individual is, therefore, forced to carry the stuff sometimes in an auto and bring it again the next day. Apart from the tremendous incovenience, this is a huge expense for an individual earning Rs 100 to Rs 150 per day,” said Gopinath, leader of one of the unions, Karnataka Jana Andolan Sangatana.
Money is only part of the problem. The open entrance causes dogs or even unruly elements to occupy it in the nights or even days when the cobbler takes a day off from work.
He is forced to get back to very dirty surroundings when he returns to his workspot, the leader said. The cobbler is also unprotected both from heavy rains as well as the searing heat.
Another issue is that the allotment has not been done according to the residence of cobblers. Some of them have to travel very far to reach their cubicles and hence opt to carry on their business on the streets near their homes. Lack of electric supply in a few kiosks too make them useless in the evenings.
Another sore point is that the sizes of the boxes are 4 X 4 and this makes it cramped. In comparison, the boxes supplied earlier by Lidkar were more than double the sizes, had proper doors and could be locked. “We have given letters to three Corporation commissioners and have not received any response. We hope someone can solve the issue,” Gopinath said.
Each kiosk costs Rs 40,000. They have been provided with granite seating as well as a shelf for the tools.
Agreeing to the grievances of the cobblers, a representative of Trinity Advertising said, “We have adhered to the specifications spelt out by the Corporation when making the boxes. We have also installed them in the locations spelt out by the Corporation. If they instruct us to incorporate changes, we are willing to do so.”
Regarding the complaints voiced by the cobbler community, the BBMP offical said, “There is no question of considering bigger kiosks like those installed by Lidkar. They definitely block much of the pedestrian space on the footpaths.” Most of the Lidkar boxes in the City, particularly in the Majestic area have been removed,’’ he said.
“First, we will see if we can relocate the boxes. After that, we will enter into an agreement with Trinity Advertising. We will instruct them to construct doors with locks,” he added.
So, looks like cobblers will get to see some light at the end of the tunnel after two years.