Nandini booths, Hopcoms outlets and electricity transformers occupying entire footpaths to be shifted

BENGALURU: Amid the footpath clearance, the authorities are now planning to clear shops of government agencies that are on footpaths. The GBA engineers are planning to appeal to the government for the removal of Nandini milk booths, HOPCOMS outlets, and electricity transformers.

The footpath clearance operations in the city have covered more thatn 500 km and the target is to clear 1,500 km of footpaths. Meanwhile, allegations have been raised against GBA that it is clearing shops of poor vendors, but are not clearing government-owned Nandini booths, HOPCOMS outlets, and transformers that are standing on two poles on the footpath.

Now, there is reportedly a proposal to clear government-owned shops on footpaths as well. “We will clear shops of government agencies too. We are also appealing for the removal of Nandini booths, transformers, and HOPCOMS outlets. The rule is the same for everyone. We will clear them”, officials said.

Chief Engineer of GBA, Basavaraj Kabade, told Public TV, “If such shops or outlets have encroached upon the full width of the footpath, we will tell them to shift it behind. The footpath should be at least 1.8 metres wide. We will also check with the respective government agencies if the vendors have been given No-objection Certificates. If they don’t have permission, then we will have to evict them too”.

Further, he said that if if electric transformers are not hampering pedestrians, those will not be shifted. “But where the transformers are occupying the full width of the footpaths, we have identified them and written to the respective agencies to shift them”.

The footpath clearance operation has been successful, but GBA is being accused of not clearing Nandini booths and HOPCOMS outlets. Whether government-owned shops on footpaths will also be cleared remains to be seen.