Unauthorised street vendors continue carrying out their business on bus bays in the old bus terminus in Vellore, despite the provision of specifically earmarked street vendors’ yard. In its effort to clear space for bus operations, the Vellore Corporation would be forced to vacate such vendors, an official from the Vellore City Municipal Corporation said.
Bus operations to southern districts like Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Chidambaram, Cuddalore, Thittakudi, Puducherry, Polur, Arni, Cheyyar and Vandavasi have been shifted from the new bus stand. More than 200 buses are thus operated from the old bus stand.
Private buses
Moreover, private bus operators too ply on these routes, accounting for 100 more buses per day. All of this has resulted in huge crowd at any point of time during the day.
Permanent stalls given to these vendors inside the bus terminus remain unused, said Nasir from Vellore.
Speaking about illegal commercial usage of parking space in buildings, the official said that action was being initiated against such buildings as per regulations.
Officials used tom-tom drums to announce the removal of unauthorised vendors’ encroachments on Wednesday.
Traders were asked to vacate on their own. They would forfeit their stock and essentials if they failed to comply, the announcement said.
However, traders seemed unperturbed by the announcement.
Prior notice
It is customary to give prior notice to such vendors, before swinging into action, Corporation staff said.
Vendors return to the same spots within a few days, despite the clearance drive, said one of the traders in the old bus stand.
