Tiruchi Corporation relocates roadside shops on NSB Road

Tiruchi Corporation on Sunday began relocating roadside shops occupying NSB Road to nearby alternative sites as part of efforts to decongest one of the city’s busiest commercial stretches and improve pedestrian safety.

With the support of the city police, Corporation workers undertook an eviction drive along the road, removing 124 roadside shops that had been functioning on both sides of the stretch between the Rockfort temple and Teppakulam.

The action followed an order of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, which had declared the areas surrounding Rockfort Teppakulam as no-vending zones. As per the court directive, street vending and other commercial activities are prohibited in the area to ensure free movement of pedestrians and to ease chronic traffic congestion caused by encroachments on the stretch.

As NSB Road, being a key commercial and pilgrimage corridor, witnesses heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic throughout the day, encroachments along the road had significantly reduced carriageway space, resulting in frequent traffic bottlenecks and inconvenience to commuters and devotees.

Earlier, the Town Vending Committee had unanimously resolved to declare NSB Road a no-vending zone in line with the court order. The committee identified alternative locations for relocating vendors. Accordingly, the Corporation earmarked three sites for the purpose, near the Poompuhar showroom on West Boulevard Road, behind the District Library on Madurai Road, and near the Chathiram bus stand.

Following the decision, roadside vendors were served notices and given time until January 20 to move to the allotted sites. Corporation officials said repeated announcements and consultations were held to facilitate an orderly relocation.

Vendors protest

However, a section of vendors opposed the move and staged a protest on Sunday, claiming that the alternative sites would affect their livelihood. Police intervened to disperse the protest, and about 25 persons were arrested and taken to the Fort police station.

In November, around 120 street vendors operating around the Teppakulam tank were shifted to Corporation land on Madurai Road. Similarly, Burma Bazaar shops functioning near the Main Guard Gate were provided alternative space at the Yanaikulam ground to set up their shops.