Florists back on Valmiki Road but at a different location

Mysuru:  The flower vendors, who were evicted from Valmiki Road on July 30, are back on Valmiki Road but at a different location.

The florists had their shops opposite the CFTRI residential quarters on the Valmiki Road since the last 15 years. However, with the Maharani’s Commerce and Management College opening up at Paduvarahalli (Vinayakanagar), the Principal of the institution wanted their shops evicted.

The head of the institution had felt the presence of flower shops could lead to problems for girl students as anti-social elements might gather near the College  and harass students.

Initially, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) told the florists that they could set up shop on vacant land close to the Railway line near Kalamandira but the permission was denied by the South Western Railway as it is Railway property. Later, the MCC told them to shift to Cheluvamba Park in Vontikoppal, only to face stiff opposition  from the residents.

Later, the MCC asked the vendors to occupy the vacant space behind Chandramouleshwaraswamy Temple at Jayalakshmipuram where the marketplace was lying vacant for a long time. That location had approach roads from all sides and as one drives down St. Joseph’s College on Temple Road, close to the Mathru Mandali Circle. Even the vendors were happy with the location.

But now all of a sudden, the vendors have set up the shops near CFTRI compound, opposite to Leela Chennaiah Kalyana Mantap on Valmiki Road.  About 24 families, who earn their living by selling varieties of flowers and flower bouquets, have set up eight shops since Aug. 15 close to the compound of CFTRI. However, CFTRI is not happy with this, sources said.

MCC Health Officer Dr. D.G. Nagaraj convinced the CFTRI authorities that it was a temporary set up and the vendors would be shifted to a new place soon. Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Dr. Nagaraj said that the MCC had decided to allot shops to these flower vendors at Vontikoppal Market temporarily.

“But Mayor Bhagyavathi objected to this and said that the place came under her Ward and allotting shops to these flower vendors without identity cards would anger other vendors. Hence a temporary space is provided opposite to Leela Chennaiah Kalyana Mantap on Valmiki Road, which is at a distance from the Maharani’s College,” he said. “We have given the flower vendors this vacant space on temporary basis and they would be shifted to Vontikoppal Market once they are issued identity cards,” he added.

Meanwhile, flower vendors said that the present space provided to them was ideal to conduct business and added that there was a space of about 15 ft. from the road to the shop and customers can park their vehicles on roadsides which would not hamper the movement of vehicles.

Veeranna, a flower vendor, said that they would be submitting a memorandum to MLA L. Nagendra requesting him to provide this space permanently for them to conduct business.