Councillors urge Tiruchi Corporation to reclaim roads from encroachers 

Tiruchi Corporation Council unanimously urges civic administration to reclaim roads & pedestrian pathways from street hawkers & regulate them with identity cards.

Councillors of Tiruchi Corporation have unanimously urged the civic administration to reclaim roads and pedestrian pathways from street hawkers encroaching upon them. They also demanded the authorities to take steps to regulate the hawkers by conducting a survey and issuing identity cards.

The first meeting of the Tiruchi Corporation Council in 2024 on Wednesday, saw councillors collectively expressing concern over the increasing number of street hawkers on roads and walkways. P. Senthil Nathan of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, who represents Ward 47, said the street hawkers around Anna Stadium have been causing inconvenience to pedestrians by opening their stalls early in the morning encroaching upon the roads and walkways. A similar situation prevailed near TVS Tollgate, where street vendors have occupied the road leading to hardship to the motorists.

DMK Councillor T. Muthuselvam urged the city administration to conduct a survey of street vendors and regulate them by providing identity cards. Several other councillors also expressed concern over the increase in the makeshift stalls in various areas, particularly during night hours.

In his response, Mayor M. Anbazhagan alleged that there was no cooperation from the police department in removing the street vendors. He said some of the street vendors were permitted to put up stalls during COVID-19 and they continue to occupy the roads. A Chennai-based consultant has completed the survey of street vendors in the city. Based on the report, the city administration will take steps to accommodate them along the banks of canals, he said.

Further, the councillors demanded to relay roads damaged while laying underground drainage projects. Out of 858 km of the sewer network in Phase - II, Phase - III, and Smart Cities Mission, the Corporation has completed laying underground drainage pipelines for about 800 km, said Mr. Anbazhagan, adding that about 450 km of the damaged roads have been repaired and relaid.

The Corporation has sent a proposal to the State government seeking funds to relay roads for about 311 km. The civic body will complete the underground drainage projects in the pending 58 km by March 2024. Steps are underway to start phase IV of the underground drainage network soon, the Mayor added.

The council also approved a resolution to purchase a vehicle-mounted super sucker-cum- jetting machine to clear blockages in the underground drainage network at a cost of ₹ 3.78 crore. The city administration had hired a super sucker on a rental basis to check its operational feasibility in the city. After checking its efficiency, the Corporation has decided to purchase this advanced machine, in addition to its thirteen heavy and mini jetting machines for clearing blockages in the underground drainage network.