Mayor promises to launch drive against pavement shops on the NSB Road

Mayor M. Anbazhagan on Friday said that pavement shops on the N.S.B. Road and other important commercial streets in the city would be removed once the vending committee was formed

Mayor M. Anbazhagan on Friday said that pavement shops on the N.S.B. Road and other important commercial streets in the city would be removed once the vending committee was formed.

Presiding over the Tiruchi Corporation Council meeting held here, the Mayor said the nuisance caused by the pavement shops on the NSB Road had reached its peak. They occupied a substantial portion of the road, restricting the movement of shoppers. Moreover, vehicle movement had been severely hit because of indiscriminate encroachment on the NSB Road, the Mayor said.

Corporation Commissioner V. Saravanan was present in the meeting.

Intervening in the debate over the encroachment by pavement traders on arterial roads, Mr. Anbazhagan said the pavements along the Theppakulam had been encroached by the traders. They had put up shops in front of the permanent shops. The action could not be justified.

K. Suresh Kumar (CPI), representing Ward 23, said that some large textile showrooms had put up barricades on the NSB Road. This caused inconvenience to the shoppers. Small and marginalised traders had been paying hefty tax Action should be taken against the showrooms that encroached the public space.

M. Mathivanan (DMK), representing Ward 16, who took strong objection to the stand of Mr. Suresh Kumar, said pavement traders set up shops right in front of the permanent traders, thereby hitting the business of them. The act of pavement traders could not be justified. How will the traders, employees, and the shoppers move if the entrance of the permanent shops was occupied, Mr. Mathivanan asked.

S. Suresh (CPI-M), representing ward 35, said that a win-win solution should be formed without affecting any party. The vending committee should be formed early.