Chennai: More than ten days after chief minister Vijay inspected the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Government Hospital for Women and Children in Egmore, Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) on Sunday carried out an eviction drive on Pantheon Road.GCC removed six encroachments, including two bunk shops, a sugarcane juice machine and three pushcarts, that had occupied portions of the road and footpath near the hospital. The civic body has warned four more shops to relocate to designated vending zones within five days or face eviction.GCC commissioner G S Sameeran said the corporation is carrying out regular surveillance around hospitals, railway stations and bus stands using 47 enforcement vehicles. “Temporary encroachments are removed immediately, while notices are issued to owners of permanent encroachments,” he said.Zonal officials have been instructed to monitor the stretch to ensure that the removed encroachments do not return. The corporation is also exploring the installation of boards declaring stretches as non-vending zones to prevent fresh encroachments.However, civic activist M Ganesan questioned the effectiveness of such signage. “There are several ‘No Parking’ boards in the city, but vehicles are parked right below them,” he said. He added that strict enforcement would be necessary to keep public spaces free of encroachments.
