The GHMC Commissioner, M.T. Krishna Babu, has announced that hawking would not be allowed on any main road in all the 18 circles as these are considered as ‘red' zones to provide free carriageway to the vehicular traffic and footpaths for pedestrians.
Mobile vendors on pushcarts would be allowed on the side roads and lanes or at the designated ‘amber' (regulated timings/days) and ‘green' zones.
There would be no scope for allowing permanent structures for conducting ‘stationary businesses' even fruit or vegetable shops either on the roadsides or on the lanes, he affirmed here on Thursday.
At a press conference, the Commissioner said the ongoing drive against roadside encroachments was a part of this exercise and soon commercial complexes with inadequate parking space or with usage of parking space for other purpose would be acted against.
“We are only following the government policy on where vending should be allowed and directions issued by the High Court and Lok Ayukta,” he said.
A few non-government organisations have been contacted to come up with standard size mobile carts with aesthetic designs and scope for garbage disposal.
Admitting that much needs to be done to improve footpaths, Mr. Krishna Babu said a policy is being devised for ensuring footpaths are at least six to10 ft wide and relatively free of obstructions. Talks were held with BSNL and CPDCL for relocating or redesigning footpaths where their respective equipment has been placed.
Private telecom, cable and Internet firms have already been told to take all their overhanging wires in the centre and roadsides to put them in a common duct at their own cost.
“This year we are planning to have an obstruction free 100 km road and gradually take it to 300 km,” he said.
A separate pedestrian division headed by an executive engineer is being set up to look after footpath maintenance and engineering in a scientific manner reporting to the Additional Commissioner (Planning). Improvement of 18 junctions at a cost of Rs.50 crore too would be part of its job.
Demolitions
The Commissioner said 34 commercial buildings where extra floors were constructed after taking Occupancy Certificates (OCs) would be demolished “one by one”. “There is no other way to tackle those who wilfully and knowingly violated the rules,” he asserted.
Action was also imminent against 670 commercial buildings where designated parking spaces have been violated as “sufficient time was given and notices were issued”.
Similarly, buildings where mortgaged space was let out or sold would also face the music.
Verify OCs
Mr. Krishna Babu appealed to citizens to verify OCs before buying or renting commercial space as they would be doing so at their risk because the “Government could act anytime” . “Please inform us if there is any violation too,” he said.
Notices were issued to 61 buildings in the Gurukul Trust land for illegal constructions for taking action. Additional Commissioner (Planning) K. Dhananjaya Reddy and Chief City Planner G.V. Raghu, were present.
