A day after the District Collector directed shopkeepers occupying the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation’s (KSRTC) property at East Fort to vacate it, a ministerial meeting on Thursday decided to temporarily relocate the shops near the transport utility’s garage, instead of evicting them.
District Collector Biju Prabhakar on Wednesday had directed the shopkeepers, whose lease agreements were cancelled, to vacate the premises by Friday to facilitate construction of bus bays at East Fort. A meeting attended by Minister for Revenue E. Chandrasekharan, Minister for Transport A.K. Saseendran and Minister for Power Kadakampally Surendran decided to relocate the shops. Sixteen shopkeepers would be given shops measuring 80 sq ft, an official release here said. Three new bus bays, facility for public announcement, and signals would be provided in the place to be vacated by the shops. The shopkeepers should enter into a rental agreement with the KSRTC.
The shopkeepers would be later rehabilitated once a new bus stand-cum-shopping complex was constructed at East Fort.
Nod for shifting bus stop
The meeting also decided to approve relocation of bus stop for buses to Beemappally side. The buses from Beemappally will now take the Vettimuricha kotta route, stop behind the Luciya Hotel to allow entry of passengers and will go back through the East Fort gate. The police had been directed to register cases against those jumping the median at East Fort, the release said.
