Bengaluru, Sept 4 Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Friday directed officials to take strict measures to prevent re-encroachment of footpaths that have already been cleared across the city, and to register FIRs against repeat violators.
He also instructed them to constitute joint task forces comprising police and civic officials in five city corporation jurisdictions to ensure continuous monitoring and to undertake joint action against re-encroachment.
Addressing officials at a virtual meeting convened to review the issue of footpath encroachments, the minister said instances of encroachment returning to the same locations after clearance must be treated seriously.
He directed that repeat violators should face stringent legal action, according to an official release.
He stressed that merely clearing an encroachment was not enough. A system must be put in place to ensure that the same stretch is not encroached upon again.
Stating that each City Corporation jurisdiction should have a joint task force with police and civic officials working in coordination, Gowda further said, cleared footpaths should be subjected to regular as well as surprise inspections, with immediate action taken if re-encroachment is detected.
"Cases of re-encroachment should be identified promptly and reported with photographic and geo-tagged evidence. Marshals and beat police personnel should jointly conduct regular inspections," he directed.
{{/usCountry}}"Cases of re-encroachment should be identified promptly and reported with photographic and geo-tagged evidence. Marshals and beat police personnel should jointly conduct regular inspections," he directed.
{{/usCountry}}It is not enough to say that encroachments have been cleared, and there must be continuous monitoring to ensure that the cleared locations are not encroached upon again, the minister said.
FIRs should be registered against repeat violators, the materials used for the encroachment should be seized and higher penalties imposed as per the rules.
He also directed officials to clearly assign responsibility for monitoring and enforcement and to establish a system for regular review of action taken and progress reports.
Gowda directed officials to clearly identify roads where street vending is restricted or prohibited and ensure that the relevant police and civic authorities are formally informed.
On major and high-traffic roads, necessary measures must be taken to ensure that neither pedestrian nor vehicular movement is obstructed, he said, stressing that facilitating smooth public movement must be given priority.
A fresh, comprehensive survey of street vendors should be undertaken at the earliest. Following the survey, further action should be taken based on eligibility and applicable legal criteria, , the minister said.
He also instructed officials to complete pending statutory processes, including the constitution of Town Vending Committees, in accordance with the law.
The minister directed that a joint order/circular at the level of the Chief Commissioners be issued covering joint police-civic operations, constitution of task forces, road-wise identification of areas, detection of re-encroachments and legal action.
"The responsibilities and jurisdiction of each officer should be clearly defined," he said.
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