Munnar panchayat continues eviction of illegal roadside shops

Munnar panchayat evicts illegal roadside shops causing traffic congestion, with plans to resume after Deepavali holidays.

The Munnar grama panchayat is continuing the eviction of illegal roadside shops within its limits.

According to panchayat officials, in four days the authorities have removed nearly 100 roadside shops. Munnar panchayat secretary Udayakumar said on Tuesday that roadside shops had been removed from Rajamala, the entry point to the Eravikulam National Park (ENP).

According to sources, the district administration has directed the Munnar panchayat officials to suspend the eviction process on Wednesday and Thursday, considering the Deepavali holidays . Sources said that the drive would continue from November 1.

According to officials, the roadside shops at Rajamala cause hours-long traffic blocks on the Munnar-Rajamala stretch of the Munnar-Udumalpet interstate route. “The removal of illegal roadside shops from Rajamala and Lakkam waterfall areas will help reduce traffic blocks during holidays,” said the official.

Sources said that the Devikulam and Pallivasal panchayats had not yet evicted any roadside shops along the Munnar hill station.

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (CPI) Devikulam Mandalam secretary P. Chandrapal accused the Congress, which is ruling the Munnar grama panchayat, of having a double standards on the issue. “The CPI’s stance is that the panchayat should provide an alternative site for the evicted shop owners within the panchayat limits. The party has submitted a letter to the Munnar panchayat secretary demanding alternative sites for the roadside vendors,” said Mr. Chandrapal.

Recently, in a report submitted to Idukki Collector V. Vigneshwari, Munnar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Ramesh Bishnoi said that 387 unauthorised shops across the forest division were attracting wild animals to the town. The report sought immediate steps to remove the shops. An expert panel appointed by the Kerala High Court to address human-animal conflict in Chinnakanal had also recommended the immediate removal of the roadside shops in Munnar.