OLD GOA
In an early morning swoop, kiosks and structures outside the GMC Complex were demolished on Thursday at the directions of the deputy collector and sub-divisional magistrate, Panaji.
The fruit and vegetable vendors were also told to remove their stalls from the place where they were conducting business for over two decades.
Even though there was no confirmation of the official number of kiosks demolished and vendors displaced, a highly placed source said notices were served to around 40 persons.
The source further stated that the demolition was carried out for the highway road widening project.
The affected kiosk owners and vendors informed The Goan that the process of demolition started in the early morning of Thursday, with a large force of around 200 policemen, including armed and traffic police, posted at the site at 4 am.
When The Goan visited the place, the area resembled a fortress with policemen posted everywhere and all the roads leading to the site closed for traffic.
Even the main entry road to the GMC was closed for traffic and vehicles were diverted via another entrance.
Before the demolition exercise, a large number of staff from the North Collectorate, including Talathis, began confiscating items from the kiosks while making inventory of the same.
The kiosk owners were also given an opportunity to salvage whatever items they could. Electricity connections to the kiosks were also disconnected by the staff from the department who also seized the electricity meters.
No sooner the kiosks were cleared of the goods and power disconnected, the bulldozers moved in and began the demolition exercise, much to the agony of the owners.
As for the fruits and vegetables vendors, they themselves cleared the area that they were occupying.
The entire exercise got over by evening and the area, which once bustled with life, resembled a deserted area with only the bulldozers and trucks seen clearing the debris that was left behind.
Deputy Collector and SDM Gurudas Dessai, Assistant Collector Azhar Khazi, Jt Mamlatdars of Tiswadi, PIs and PSIs of different police stations like Agassaim, Old Goa and Panaji were present during the demolition exercise.
Angry kiosk owners slammed the government over the demolition drive, which they said, had robbed them of their only livelihood.
“This is our only source of livelihood and taking it away from us will further increase our suffering during these hard times of pandemic, where we only conduct business for a few hours,” a lady kiosk owner informed while demanding rehabilitation.
