MCC Administrator Nitesh Patil pulls up Zonal Officers

Mysuru: Following the recurring footpath encroachment, especially on Sayyaji Rao Road, with footpath vendors resurfacing, Regional Commissioner (RC) of Mysuru Division Nitesh Patil has instructed the officers to act tough.

Regional Commissioner Patil, who holds additional charge as the MCC Administrator, chaired the progress review meeting on footpath encroachments at Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Old Council Hall in  MCC Main Office building here yesterday.

Fixing a deadline to the officers of all the nine MCC Zones, RC Patil said, the rampant footpath encroachments on Jumboo Savari procession route should be cleared in coordination with the Police Department, within this month.

Apart from dealing with the illegalities with an iron hand, articles should be seized and heavier penalty should be imposed on them, so that they will be forced to look for an alternative space for business. The Development Officers (Dos) are vested with power to impose fine up to Rs. 2,000, he added.

The vendors should be permitted to carry out their business only at exclusive Vending Zones, besides monitoring the Zones regularly involving both the Policemen and the staff of Zonal Offices. Supervisors in 30 additional numbers are available and they should be deputed with the tasks to be carried out on the lines of Marshals in each Zonal Office jurisdictions, he added.

When an officer attached to MCC Zone-6 rued about how the footpath vendors on Sayyaji Rao Road are returning time and again, even after vacating them thrice in a row, RC Patil instructed the officer to regularly monitor the footpaths as an act of deterrent.

Tougher action needed

MCC Commissioner M.K. Savitha suggested that a stringent action to curb the menace of footpath vendors is essential, instead of carrying out back-to-back encroachment clearance drives, as the areas like Makkaji Chowk, Sayyaji Rao Road and other places in the vicinity turn into a chock-a-block only due to unabated footpath vendors.

She expressed her displeasure over no action has been taken against footpath encroachments on Mannar’s Market Road, even for once.

SOP to be issued

Savitha assured to issue a circular consisting of Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) regarding imposing penalty against footpath vending, following which the officers should act in compliance with the circular. Besides, the expenses of clearance drive should be recovered from the encroachers, she instructed further.

Nandini milk booths

RC Patil instructed the MCC officers to shift Nandini milk parlours functioning on footpaths to alternative place, by giving them sufficient time. The Supreme Court order clearly states that, no booths can be put up on footpath space.

DCP (Crime & Traffic) K.S. Sundar Raj assured to provide adequate Police security for operation footpath encroachment in MCC Zone-6 limits.