Two days after the city police launched Sanchara Samparka Divas in Whitefield, the KR Puram traffic police and BBMP staff have conducted an encroachment drive to clear 20 shops occupying 1.5 kilometre of footpath.
The clearance drive, conducted between ITI Gate and KR Puram lake, follows a complaint filed by Nagappa Kamati, an assistant executive engineer with BBMP’s KR Puram subdivision on Sunday.
Kamati said in his complaint that nearly 30 vendors selling blankets, doormats, toys, plastic furniture and other knick-knacks have encroached the footpath, posing danger to motorists and pedestrians alike. The encroachment is forcing pedestrians to walk on the road endangering their lives and that of motorists.
During Monday’s drive, police seized items sold by the vendors, booking 30 of them under Section 282 (Whoever, by doing any act, or by omitting to take order with any property in his possession or under his charge, causes danger, obstruction or injury to any person in any public way or public line of navigation).
When City Police Commissioner Kamal Pant held the Sanchara Samparka Divas on Saturday in Whitefield, residents in the area expressed concern over footpath encroachments and urged him to take action.
They said many senior citizens and children are forced to walk on the road due to the encroachments.
Pant assured residents of action and issued directions to officials to resolve the issue at the earliest.
Published 14 December 2020, 20:07 IST