Demolition drive on in Berhampur. Picture by Gopal Krishna Reddy

Berhampur, May 23: About 160 small traders, who were running their shops under the railway overbridge connecting Kamapalli to Lanjipalli here, were evicted by the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The traders, mainly vegetable vendors and make-shift food stall owners, however, have decided to violate orders and open shops till BMC provided them an alternative place.

“BMC commissioner Bhim Manseth and DSP (crime) Subash Acharya, accompanied by government officials and policemen, reached Kamapalli on Sunday unannounced and asked the traders to vacate the place immediately. Today, police reached the spot again to prevent some shopkeepers who were trying to open their business today,” said Bipin Bihari Das, president of Kamapalli and Lanjipalli Overbridge Traders’ Association.

“We have decided to continue with our business under the overbridge till all small traders are properly rehabilitated,” Bipin said on Monday.

BMC commissioner Bhim Manseth said 39 vegetable vendors, who were displaced from Kamapalli Jail Road a year ago, were rehabilitated at Mardarajpur vending zone situated in front of the MKCG Medical College and Hospital.

“We told the vegetable vendors under the railway overbridge to shift their business to an open space situated near the Mardarajpur vending zone. Some of them have shifted their business and they would be rehabilitated in due course,” the BMC commissioner said.

Many vegetable vendors from Karapalli, Golabandha, Kamalapur, Hinjilicut and some nearby places were running their businesses under the railway overbridge here since it was constructed five years ago.

“I come to Berhampur everyday to sell vegetables. I was making some profit and maintaining my family. I do not know why the BMC asked us to vacate the place,” said Kiran Badatya, a vegetable vendor. Santosh Sahu, a potato trader of Gangagahani, faces similar problems.

“The vegetable vendors would be rehabilitated in the vending zones subsequently. But what will we do? Where will we go,” Babu, who ran a saloon, and Sarat Chandra, a cycle mart, said.

The space under the railway overbridge is increasingly being used as a car parking space.