Kochi: Kochi corporation on Wednesday launched a demolition drive removing unauthorised extensions of several buildings in Broadway in the wake of recurring fires in the narrow and congested shopping area.
A special team led by Mayor Soumini Jain began the demolition from the southern end of Broadway. Several shop-owners were found encroaching on footpath area by setting up boards, hoardings, stands and temporary structures. The team removed all such structures and pushed back extended portions, ensuring that the traders occupy only the permitted areas. The team also removed products put on display along the footpath and cleared the shops put up by unauthorised vendors and shifted the materials from site.
As per corporation's data, illegal extensions of nearly 60 shops and 20 bunknshops were removed. The drive lasted up to 6 pm.
A few traders sought more time to remove the extensions but the corporation authorities refused to give in saying that warnings had already been given several times in the past.
The mayor said the demolition drive is for the safety of traders and public visiting the shopping area. "Most of the encroachments and extensions were deliberate and not due to ignorance," the mayor said. "Traders' associations are cooperating with the civic body. The eviction drive will continue in coming days."
Civic administration is also taking strict action against illegal parking in the congested area. The corporation is planning to set up a parking lot adjacent to Broadway exclusively for the area.
Standing committee chairpersons P.M. Haris, Shainy Mathew and A.B. Sabu, health inspectors and other civic officials were in the team.
Three shops were gutted in the fire happened at cloth bazaar in Broadway on Monday.
