Clear Hyderabad’s footpaths, says court

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, Dec 30: The AP High Court on Monday ordered that criminal law be invoked against those encroaching upon footpaths in the city.

The division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar directed the GHMC and the roads and buildings department to deal with encroachers with a tough hand by invoking provisions of criminal law against them.

The High Court was acting on a letter written by a Secunderabad resident, Brig. (retd) Virender P. Sharma to the Chief Justice, which the court had taken up as a petition.

Brig. Sharma had complained about the poor maintenance of roads and lack of pavements whenever roads were widened. The authorities had also failed to check illegal occupation of existing pavements. This was leaving no place for pedestrians to walk.

During the course of the hearing, the Chief Justice asked GHMC counsel about the action against pavement encroachers in the twin cities. Counsel replied that civil cases had been booked against them.

The Chief Justice said that that would not have much impact, and directed the authorities to initiate action under the provisions of the Land Grabbing Act and also under criminal law.

The bench directed the GHMC to submit an action taken report after four weeks, and explain the steps being taken for removal of encroachments from pavements and also constructing of pavements where they don't exist.

Won’t evict without rehabilitation, says vendors

Hyderabad: Reacting to the judgement, former minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy, president of the Twin Cities Hawkers Association, said that they would implead themselves in the case.

He said that without providing rehabilitation to footpath vendors, the association would not allow either the GHMC or the government to evict petty vendors.

He said thousands of people were dependent on footpath vending, and the authorities cannot touch them without providing them an alternative means of livelihood.

He cautioned that forcible eviction by citing the court order would lead to law and order problems.

When contacted, GHMC commissioner Somesh Kumar said, “I have  not seen the court order, but we will consider all possible steps to make alternative arrangements for footpath vendors.”

He said, “We have to look into the Supreme Court directions with regard to street hawkers and also the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2012 before proceeding further.”