Fort Kochi flooded with illegal wayside eateries

KOCHI: Despite the series of evacuation drives conducted by the district administration and the City Corporation in the past, unauthorized wayside shops, mainly eateries, thrive in Fort Kochi. The number of such shops functioning in most unhygienic conditions has increased manifold, posing serious health hazards. During the recent Corporation council meeting, division councillor and town planning committee chairperson Shainy Mathew sought immediate steps to remove the makeshift shops.

“New shops are coming up in the area, which are operating in unhygienic surroundings. The water used by them is of very poor quality. An intensive eviction drive has to be carried out immediately to clear the area,” she said. The civic body and district administration are getting regular complaints from the public against unlawful vendors and extensive infringement in the heritage area. According to the Corporation statistics, the city has nearly 2,000 wayside shops with many of them located in Fort Kochi.

“The Fort Kochi heritage area has become an an illegal vending zone with more and more traders setting up mobile carts and temporary stalls selling eateries. If immediate steps are not taken, it will affect tourism activities and heritage conservation,” said former Mayor K.J Sohan. “Though 70 traders were rehabilitated earlier, they came back to the heritage area. Wayside vendors have the support of various political parties and trade unions. A sustainable programme has to be implemented to remove illegal vendors,” he added.