Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (GA)
Udupi, May 10: Despite opposition from a few sections of the society, the eviction drive initiated by deputy commissioner V Ponnuraj to vacate many petty shops by the roadside here has been appreciated largely by many.
It was on May 10, 2006 that V Ponnuraj had taken over as the DC of the district and in the first year he has managed to bring a certain order in many things here. The eviction of petty shop and illegal settlements near service bus stand and on Maruthi Veethika with the help bulldozers was a must step for the smooth flow traffic in the city.
With this eviction footpath near service bus stand has been cleared and the pedestrians are now heaving a sigh of relief as they can walk freely. Even two-wheeler and four-wheeler owners have appreciated the move which has helped in getting more place for vehicle parking. Though the town municipality had tried several times to evict these shops, the drive had failed owing to political influence.
Most of the shops that were evicted were there for many years. They had been started as petty shops and within a few years the owners had converted them into big shops with own premises. Many of them had not even a paid single pie as tax for more than 20-30 years. When some of them questioned deputy commissioner as why is he evicted these shops which were there for more than 50 years, the latter is said to have asked them to pay the tax for 50 years.
Though the official drive to evict these shops was stopped on Wednesday, the shop owners have been set May 10 as deadline to vacate their shops. If they fail in vacating these shops voluntarily by Thursday evening, drive would be initiated once again, said deputy commissioner.
A section of the people has now appealed the deputy commissioner to initiate a similar drive to evict illegal settlements which have been erected by some of the influential people. Most of these building do not have proper parking facility and have been constructed without proper permission. If these too are evicted, a lot of traffic congestion within the city will be decreased, said locals.