Kerala High Court stays order on closure of shops at Panampilly Nagar

KOCHI: A division bench of the High Court has stayed the single bench order to close down unlicensed shops and commercial firms at Panampilly Nagar by March 31. The single bench in a directive had instructed the corporation to close down over 240 shops at Panampilly Nagar which were running without licence. The order was based on a writ petition filed by a group of residents against the functioning of commercial firms in residential buildings. The HC granted the stay after considering the employment and financial losses if the firms are closed down by Friday night as per the single bench order. The stay order will be in operation for three months.

“The order is the result of a long-standing effort by the residents of the area to change Panampilly Nagar into a residential-cum-commercial area. We hope that the government will immediately take measures to convert the area as mixed use zone,” said Mr Biju C. Vallavanadan of Panampilly Nagar Association of Commercial Establishment and Residents (PACE). Meanwhile, the state government has already initiated steps to for converting Panampilly Nagar to a ‘mixed use zone.’

The regional town planning department which was entrusted with resurveying the area has submitted its report to the chief town planner. Based on the report, the government will issue a draft declaration and 60 days will be given for submitting suggestions and objections. The final declaration will be made after this. The city corporation and various political parties are in support of the demand to convert the area to mixed use zone. The Panampilly Nagar housing colony was formed in 1976 with only 100 houses while the number of houses has increased to 1,800 now apart from over 3,000 residential apartments.