Sunil Lohan
*Strict action against re-encroachment of cleared footpaths; repeat offenders to face FIRs,material seizure and higher penalties.
Strict measures must be taken to prevent re-encroachment of footpaths that have already been cleared across Bengaluru, Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda directed officials on Thursday.
He instructed officials to constitute joint task forces comprising police and civic officials in each City Corporation jurisdiction to ensure continuous monitoring and undertake joint enforcement action against re-encroachment.
Addressing officials at a virtual meeting convened to review the issue of footpath encroachments,the Minister said instances of encroachment returning to the same locations after clearance must be treated seriously.
Repeat violators should face stringent legal action,he directed.
*Focus shifts from clearing encroachments to keeping footpaths clear.
The Minister stressed that merely clearing an encroachment was not enough.A system must be put in place to ensure that the same stretch is not encroached upon again.
Each City Corporation jurisdiction should have a joint task force with police and civic officials working in coordination.
Cleared footpaths should be subjected to regular as well as surprise inspections, with immediate action taken if re-encroachment is detected.
Cases of re-encroachment should be identified promptly and reported with photographic and geo-tagged evidence.Marshals and beat police personnel should jointly conduct regular inspections,he directed.
FIRs,seizure of materials and higher penalties for repeat offenders :It is not enough to say that encroachments have been cleared.There must be continuous monitoring to ensure that the cleared locations are not encroached upon again.
FIRs should be registered against repeat violators, the materials used for the encroachment should be seized and higher penalties imposed as per the rules,”Krishna Byre Gowda said.
He also directed officials to clearly assign responsibility for monitoring and enforcement and to establish a system for regular review of action taken and progress reports.
Road-wise clarity on where street vending is permitted:
The Minister directed officials to clearly identify roads where street vending is restricted or prohibited and ensure that the relevant police and civic authorities are formally informed.
On major and high-traffic roads,necessary measures must be taken to ensure that neither pedestrian nor vehicular movement is obstructed, he said,stressing that facilitating smooth public movement must be given priority.
Fresh comprehensive survey of street vendors:
A fresh, comprehensive survey of street vendors should be undertaken at the earliest,the Minister directed.
Following the survey,further action should be taken based on eligibility and applicable legal criteria.He also instructed officials to complete pending statutory processes,including the constitution of Town Vending Committees,in accordance with the law.
Joint civic-police order to institutionalise enforcement:
The Minister directed that a joint order/circular at the level of the Chief Commissioners be issued covering joint police-civic operations, constitution of task forces, road-wise identification of areas,detection of re-encroachments and legal action.
The responsibilities and jurisdiction of each officer should be clearly defined.A system must also be established for swift action against re-encroachment and regular review of the action taken,Krishna Byre Gowda directed.
Chief Commissioner,Maheshwar Rao,City Corporation Commissioners,Ramesh D.S.,Pommala Sunil Kumar, Ramesh K.N.,G.Jagadeesh and Dr.Rajendra K.V.,along with police officials,executive engineers and others were present at the meeting.
