GVMC Removes 706 Unauthorised Shops in Visakhapatnam

The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) on Saturday cleared 706 unauthorised shops and stalls across the city. This was part of Operation Lungs (Life to Urban Green Spaces), an anti-encroachment drive. In the past three days, the civic body has removed a total of 1,759 such structures.

Teams demolished shops, food trucks, and stalls set up on roads and footpaths. The drive faced resistance in areas including Akkayyapalem, Seethammadhara, and Gurudwara. Hoardings and shop extensions encroaching on footpaths were also removed.

Some vendors said the action was sudden. “We did not get any notice from the corporation. I started this shop with a loan. Now that it is gone, how will we earn?” said Raju, a vendor from Seethammadhara.

GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg defended the action, saying footpaths are meant for pedestrians. “Encroachments push people onto the road, causing congestion and accidents,” he said. He also warned that food from unauthorised stalls could be unsafe and unhygienic.

Explaining the drive, Mr. Garg said Operation Lungs 2.0 aims to improve safety, protect public health, and ensure smoother traffic flow. “Footpaths will be kept clear, junctions less crowded, and the city’s appearance improved,” he said. He added that vendors would be relocated to approved vending zones under the Street Vending Act.

The move has drawn criticism. YSRCP district president K.K. Raju said street vendors were left jobless overnight. “Thousands of families have lost their income. The government should act against illegal complexes, not small vendors who have been here for decades,” he said.

Left party leaders also opposed the demolitions, arguing that officials target small traders while ignoring larger encroachments.