With traffic congestion concerns on the Hamilton Circle-Rao and Rao Circle-Clock Tower road stretch, particularly after the A.B. Shetty Circle-Clock Tower carriageway of Maidan Road was closed for pedestrian underpass construction, the city police have decided to undertake a joint drive with Mangaluru City Corporation to clear paid parking and street vendors on the stretch.
This road stretch is widely used by city buses that start from Hamilton Circle. The traffic on this stretch has now increased with the diversion of vehicles moving on the A.B. Shetty Circle-Clock Tower road stretch, which has been shut for the last few days as the Mangaluru Smart City Ltd. has taken up construction of a pedestrian underpass near Town Hall. The police are receiving complaints about the presence of parked two-wheelers and street vendors, particularly near the State Bank Fish Market, hampering the movement of vehicles on the stretch. “We have already written to the MSCL expressing concerns over this and other issues related to 13 infrastructural works taken up by the company. As some issues, namely parking and street vendors, concern the MCC, we are writing to them too,” Commissioner P.S. Harsha told The Hindu. He has decided to conduct a joint drive to clear unauthorised street vendors operating in Hampankatta area.
The removal of street vendors is a sensitive issue and city police have faced resistance and protests in earlier attempts. “The corporation officials accompanying us will check whether the street vendors possess tokens issued by the Mangaluru City Corporation (which is an indication of permission given to vendors to operate in the area). If anybody is found without the token, he/she will be asked to vacate the place,” he said.
Dr. Harsha said they will begin the operation from the Central Market area that has a large presence of street vendors.
