KOCHI: Antiquity is a unique feature of Fort Kochi with its streets and buildings dating back to centuries. But the ancient bungalows on both sides of the road up to Cochin Club are now unseeable as the whole array of buildings are blockaded by makeshift shops. Most of them are set at heights that block the view for the passers-by. Likewise the tourist destination has many of its space invaded by illegal occupants who run everything from food joints to curio shops. There has been attempts from the part of authorities to evict them a number of times but in vain. The land belonging to Revenue Department and the Cochin Port Trust has been encroached. According to locals, it is mainly political intervention that prevents the police from taking action and evicting the encroachers. “The political leaders are paid by the shop owners. So they will not allow the eviction. In 2007, following an order by the Land Revenue Commission, the sheds were removed but in no time they came back,” says a native. In the whole heritage zone many portions are being encroached, including the land that belongs to the Port Trust. According to the Port Trust officials, a portion of the land and a number of shuttered blocks meant for car parking are now being used by a set of vendors. “The encroachment has been reported to the authorities and a case is going on. Only the fisher folk using the Chinese net are allowed in the area and they are given permits for that,” says an official from the estate department of the Port Trust. He added that a major problem regarding eviction is that the encroachers have no permanent address. The stalls are all makeshift and the people keep on changing. So instead of issuing any eviction notice all we can do is to seek the help of the police. But even if the police evict them, they will be back after some time. So now we are waiting for the court judgment,” he adds.
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