Greater Chennai Corporation issues SOP to make city footpaths squatter-free

CHENNAI: In a move to ensure smooth pedestrian movement across Chennais footpaths, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to all zonal officers for the eviction of encroachments across 15 zones in the city. According to the circular issued by the chief engineer (General), assistant engineers in each division have been instructed to identify and enumerate all footpath encroachments - including permanent structures and temporary vendors - and report them to the respective assistant executive engineers (AEE). The AEEs are directed to ensure that the identified encroachments are removed the very next day. The SOP mandates assistant engineers to list eviction locations, excluding designated vending areas, and share them with their AEEs to prepare zone-wise eviction lists. AEEs have been instructed to issue eviction notices a day in advance. In cases where police assistance is required, the AEEs have been instructed to coordinate with the jurisdictional police station. After the removal, before-and-after photographs must be uploaded on the GCC app. The debris is to be transported to the Kodungaiyur or Perungudi dump yards. The enforcement teams have also been tasked with maintaining constant vigilance to prevent re-encroachment at cleared locations. The circular warns that any lapse in implementing the eviction process will be viewed seriously. Speaking to TNIE , K Balaraman, a member of the town vending committee and a street vendor representative, said, While this SOP also mentions the eviction of vendors along the footpaths, it was not discussed with the town vending committee members, nor was there any clarity on whether alternative locations would be provided for the affected vendors - a request we have been making for a long time since being elected. He added, Evictions are being carried out without the committees knowledge, and it has been over 100 days since the city corporation officials last convened a vending committee meeting. However, when TNIE reached out to GCC officials, including chief engineer (General) and deputy commissioner (Works) V Sivakrishnamurthy, to inquire whether any alternative locations would be provided for the temporary vendors facing eviction to safeguard their livelihood, there was no response.