Crafts fair shops shifted after complaint of encroachment

 There was high drama at the M G Road Metro station on Tuesday evening at the ongoing global crafts fair, Crafts Marche, when a team of BBMP officials reached the spot following complaint about encroachment on the footpaths by the stalls.

As part of the fair, about 35 exhibitors from across the globe including Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand are showcasing their handicrafts.

Some members of the Bangalore RTI Federation complained to the Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) and the BBMP Joint Commissioner that stalls have been allowed to be put up on the open area which actually belongs to the BMRCL. Even though the BMRCL has taken permission to host the crafts fair till June 7, the BBMP officials asked its officials to shift the stalls. Consequently, 14 stalls were shifted towards the boulevard and near the entrance of the station.

 BMRCL spokesperson U A Vasanth Rao said: “There is no encroachment on public land or footpaths. The area where these stalls were put belongs to BMRCL and we have all the documents. The same documents have been provided to the BBMP officials who maintained they will verify the documents and till then, the said stalls be shifted.”

 Umapathy, president of the federation, claimed the stalls were occupying the space meant for pedestrians.  But the police had no objections to the matter.