VIP Rd illegal shops to make way for trees and walkway
Times of India | 3 December 2024
Kolkata: The unauthorised encroachments in front of the car showrooms off VIP Road on the airport-bound flank from Kestopur to Narayantala have been cleared. The state PWD is taking up a beautification drive on the stretch.
Officials of PWD and Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) conducted a spot inspection of the stretches on Monday. "There were unauthorised encroachments on the stretch. Besides, there used to be illegal parking in front of the showrooms. The encroachments have been cleared as PWD is taking up a beautification drive that will include overall landscaping of the stretch. The drive will be further extended up to Joramandir in the next phase," said BMC MMiC (waste management) Debraj Chakraborty.
As part of the beautification drive, the drainage channel will be dredged and cleaned. "It is now choked with garbage. It will be dredged and fenced off and a box drain will be set up," said a PWD official. Besides, a walkway will be set up for pedestrians and trees will be planted.
Following a HC order, the PWD had earlier conducted inspections and spot enquiries as the authorities had detected encroachments on govt land off VIP Road. Many hawkers and street vendors have been doing business here, with many setting up makeshift structures.
A process is on to identify places where the hawkers and street vendors could be rehabilitated. "They can continue doing business by using a portable cabin-type structure. No permanent structure will be allowed," said an official.