A day after it received scathing criticism from the High Court of Karnataka for failing to comply with fire safety norms, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) said all encroachments in K.R. Market would be cleared on Friday.
Sarfaraz Khan, Joint Commissioner, SWM, BBMP, who along with other officials of the civic body, including Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad, inspected the market on Thursday, said traders have been asked to remove encroachments themselves by Friday, failing which the BBMP will undertake a clearance drive.
A Division Bench was hearing a PIL petition filed in 2017 by the Bengaluru Flower Merchants’ Association, K.R. Market, questioning the BBMP’s action of putting up illegal shops blocking the entries to fire and emergency exits within the market complex. The High Court cautioned that it would not hesitate to order closure of the market if the BBMP fails to rectify within two weeks some of the serious lapses identified by the Fire and Emergency Service (F&ES) Department in the market complex.
‘Remove blocks’
The Bench had said that the BBMP should remove all illegal structures or shops put up in the market complex contrary to the sanctioned plan, and all types of blockages, including any temporary structure or business, that come in the way of entry of fire service vehicles within two weeks.
“There are a lot of encroachments that don’t allow fire engines to go on time. There are unauthorised encroachments on the main pathways as well as around the market. We have requested them to remove these, else we will have to remove them. All three floors as well as the area around the market outside have encroachments,” said Mr. Khan.
