The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has directed the authorities to evict street vendors causing inconvenience to senior citizens and the differently-abled on S.M. Street, the city’s fabled marketplace.
Commission member P. Mohanadas said in an order on Wednesday that street managers should be appointed and better parking facilities should be put in place as per the orders of the Traffic Regulatory Authority.
Differently-abled persons should be allowed to travel for free in the buggy vehicles being operated on the street. Mr. Mohanadas pointed out that the travel ban in place between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. was in view of the difficulties being faced by the differently-abled and senior citizens.
The order follows petitions filed by George Joseph M.V. and Mohammed Noufal, both differently-abled persons employed in shops on the street, who pointed out their difficulty to enter the area after the travel ban and the renovation works. Their tricycles were not being allowed to enter the street after renovation and they were finding it difficult to come to work. They pointed out that iron chains had been installed to stop entry of vehicles.
However, the secretary, Kozhikode corporation, clarified that both senior citizens and the differently-abled could use the walkway. Differently-abled persons could be allowed to travel for free in buggy vehicles instead of using tricycles.
Allegation denied
The District Collector denied the allegation that the authorities were trying to restrict the travelling of the differently-abled, pointing out that wheel-chairs had been arranged for their convenience. Traders too had recently come out against the travel restrictions claiming that their business had come down by half in the past one year. Trade unions representing employees working in shops there claim that many people have lost their jobs owing to the slowdown.
