Port Blair, Dec 12: The activities of hawkers/vendors, on either side of the road, outside the Veer Savarkar International Airport i.e., from Lambaline gate to Minnie Bay Junction may attract birds and stray animals which may cause danger to flight operation in that area and hence is a serious safety & security hazards. Despite repeated attempts to clear the area, hawkers/vendors again start their activities using the roadside space. Such activities led to crowding and uneven parking of vehicles on either side of the road resulting to traffic congestion and increased bird/stray animal activities concerning to flight safety.
The Sub Divisional Magistrate (South Andaman) vides order dated 19/04/2017 in Case No.45/2017, under Section 133 CrPc, had already declared that the public road outside of the Veer Savarkar International Airport i.e., from Lamba Line gate to Minnie Bay Junction is unfit for hawkers/street vendors.
PBMC issued a public notice 17th August 2017 that such being obstruction/encroachments, all concerned were directed to immediately stop hawking/vending activities and remove all sorts encroachments failing which same would be summarily removed by the Municipal Council under Section 150 and 151 of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Municipal) Regulations 1994, at the risk and cost of the concerned persons.
Mr. Yashpal Garg, Secretary PBMC informed that though the PBMC carried out certain drive to remove such hawkers but they use to return again in the same evening. On 12.12.2017, the PBMC conducted a major drive and removed about a dozen of hawkers and seized some of the goods. Mr. Garg said that considering safety of flights operation, the hawking will not be tolerated and more strict actions will be taken if they return again to that stretch of the road.
