Bengaluru Karnataka High Court BBMP Commissioner KR Market By Y Maheswara ReddyMassive clean-up drive after court’s reprimand; few murmurs of protestFor the first time in the history of Krishna Rajendra (KR) Market, the BruhatMahanagara Palike (BBMP) authorities on Friday launched a day-long clean-up and anti-encroachment drive at the market complex.The action came after theordered theto clear the encroachments and ensure fire safety equipment to avoid any fire mishaps at the complex. On Thursday, BBMP chief N Manjunath Prasad and other officials had visited theHundreds of conservancy workers began clearing encroachments on the market premises while flower merchants made way on their own at the upper basement of the market. Thirty BBMP marshals and scores of policemen helped the conservancy workers who removed tables, benches, name boards and stone slabs put up by the shopkeepers. These were obstructing the free movement of visitors to the flower market. The BBMP used 48 tractors, 15 trucks, eight compactors and eight earth moving machines (JCBs). Around 240 truckloads of garbage and debris were removed from the market complex.There are 2,021 shops at KR Market. Generally, the hawkers and vendors at the KR Market are known for staging a dharna protesting eviction but there was no protest except a few murmurs from the affected vendors.“I have been paying rent to BBMP. I do not know why they have removed my shop,’’ asked Muniswamy, a vendor.A few hawkers complained that they were being victimized. They argued with BBMP officials and asked them to first clean up Avenue Road where street vendors rule the roost. “I have to thank general public as well as hawkers and vendors for their cooperation. I am confident of completing the clean-up drive by evening," said Sarfaraz Khan, BBMP Joint Commissioner (Solid Waste Management).The Fire and Emergency Services officials had earmarked the space for parking fire tenders and the BBMP marshals were tasked with ensuring that there was no encroachment of that space.Meanwhile, Flower Merchants’ Association is not happy with the BBMP’s decision to evict the unauthorized 24 shops at the upper basement of the market.“We expected the BBMP authorities to remove the unauthorized shops put up near the staircase and other strategic locations. These shops have blocked the ventilation. These will become an obstacle for people to escape in the event of a fire mishap in the market," said GM Diwakar, president of Flower Merchants’ Association.

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