In the wake of the Shivamogga’s selection under the Union government’s Smart Cities Mission, the district administration is planning to form a Special Agenda Task Force (SATF), along the lines of the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF), to prevent the encroachment of public spaces.
Deputy Commissioner V.P. Ikkeri told The Hindu that according to the guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Urban Development, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) should be formed to implement the projects taken up under the mission.
The erection of illegal hoardings and encroachment of public property, including footpaths, drainage, parks, and canals will spoil the beauty of the city and create civic problems. SATF will function as a part of the SPV and its main objective will be to reclaim encroached public property and to prevent fresh encroachments.
Illegal constructions
According to sources, 254 buildings, including 236 residential and 17 commercial ones, have been constructed illegally on land belonging to the corporation.
The Directorate of Municipal Administration had written to the corporation in December 2014 to initiate measures to recover encroached properties.
Apart from corporation sites, footpaths too have been encroached upon at Vinobha Nagar, Savalanga Road and Tilak Nagar, among other localities, by street vendors. Buildings have been constructed by encroaching upon the main sewage canal and spaces reserved for public parks in many newly formed residential layouts. SATF will have the legal powers to reclaim such properties, the DC said.
Following protests staged by politicians, the corporation had to drop the drive it had launched on August 9 to remove petty shops set up on the footpaths in Vinobha Nagar.
The DC had issued a notice to officials of the corporation for undertaking the drive without informing the police or the district administration.
Such issues will be avoided with the formation of SATF. Officials of the corporation, police, Forest Department, Public Works Department, Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Sewage Board, and Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd. will be members of the task force.
