The Mangalore City Corporation on Saturday razed down over 25 illegal structures at Hamilton Circle and service bus stop areas.
The operation, which was carried out by the newly constituted enforcement cell of the corporation with support from the city police, lasted several hours, even as hawkers who had put up the stalls were nowhere to be seen.
The shops that were constructed on government land had made deep encroachments into the pavements and the main road there.
Commissioner of the corporation K.N. Vijayprakash told The Hindu that demolition drives such as this one had become a ritual. “This has been going on for a long time. We demolish the structures and a few days later new structures come up in their place,” he said. Mr. Vijayprakash said that the Police Department had a vital role in preventing such structures from reappearing. “They must work in tandem with the civic authorities and ensure that such encroachments are kept to the minimum,” he said. Although Mr. Vijayprakash said that he was “aware of the vulnerable socio-economic background” of such people, he maintained that these hawkers posed a greater threat to city’s health and hygiene.
