Salem Commissioner cracks down on encroachments at New Bus Stand

Salem Commissioner demolishes illegal shops at bus stand, seizes items, and plans to prevent future encroachments.

On Tuesday, Salem Corporation Commissioner Ranjeet Singh inspected the Salem New Bus Stand and demolished encroachments and unauthorised shops, much to the satisfaction of passengers.

The Corporation had approved 135 shops, including 48 commercial shops, 56 platform shops, and two hotels, to function at the Salem New Bus Stand. However, shopkeepers began to illegally subdivide spaces and set up additional outlets under the same licence, often extending into platform areas and obstructing passenger movement. Although only two eateries were authorised to use LPG cylinders, over 20 food stalls were operating illegally with LPG, along with unauthorised structures.

Corporation officials regularly held eviction drives at the bus stand, but there were no lasting solutions to the issue. On Tuesday, without any prior announcement, Commissioner Ranjeet Singh arrived at the bus stand accompanied by heavy police protection and began inspecting the shops. The encroaching structures were promptly removed, and illegal constructions were demolished using JCBs. The removal of these encroachments continued for over four hours at the bus stand.

The items in encroaching shops were seized, and the shops were closed. A formal notice has also been issued to shopkeepers against repeating the offence, failing which their shops would be sealed, the commissioner added.

The officials also inquired into complaints about sale of expired food items and the lack of clarity regarding expiry dates on products in local shops, and food safety officials at the bus stand. Four teams of food safety officials collected samples from various shops, which will be sent for laboratory testing. Action will be taken based on the results of these tests, the commissioner said.

Commissioner Singh stated that measures were being taken to prevent future encroachments, including appointing three dedicated watchmen to monitor each platform. Additionally, plans are in place to address rainwater stagnation issues in the coming months through enhanced drainage solutions. “This time, I visited the bus stand and demolished the encroached structure. We have also decided to appoint three watchmen to monitor their platforms 24 hours a day and they w.ill immediately report. A meeting has been arranged to discuss rainwater stagnation, which we hope to sort out in the coming months,” Mr. Ranjeet Singh added.