After a long wait, Poorna Market is now encroachment-free

Visakhapatnam: Traders in and around Poorna Market heaved a sigh of relief as their long pending issue of evacuating unauthorised hawkers in and around Poorna Market has finally been resolved by the district officials. Officials from police department and Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation cleared encroachments at Poorna Market. Responding to several complaints received by various groups and traders, the officials took measures to resolve traffic issues and unauthorised occupation in and around the market area.

Permanent and wholesale traders have been raising complaints to the authorities for the past few years about illegal occupation along the market area. Although action was taken against the encroachments, it only continued for a temporary period. Later, the issues of unauthorised vendors recurred at the market.

Keeping the complaints and inconvenience of the public and traders in view, district collector and GVMC in-charge Commissioner MN Harendhira Prasad instructed the officials to resolve the issue at the earliest.

City Police Commissioner Shankhabrata Bagchi, GVMC zone -4 Commissioner Mallaiah Naidu along with the I-town traffic, law and order police examined the situation at the ground level and sought solutions to the problems.

The City Police Commissioner took corrective measures, clearing the encroachments. The traders heaved a sigh of relief and thanked the officials for the action taken against illegal occupants.

Officials assured the unauthorised hawkers that places would be allotted for them at different places, including at Rythu Bazaars and other places, to get their lost livelihood.

In 2022, the traders had closed the market for 12 hours demanding the eviction of unauthorised hawkers from the surrounding area. In over 90 years of its history, it was the first time the market was shut down for such a long time.