Mysuru: The fast food vendors and the footpath vendors will now have to operate only in residential areas that are outside the Dasara programmes core zone or outskirts of city. The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) on Thursday continued its evacuation drive against the street vendors in Agrahara, Lakshmipuram and at many other places.

Amid protest by the street vendors, with the help of police officials, under the supervision of MCC assistant commissioner T S Satyamurthy the evacuation drive was held near Agrahara, Nanjumalige, 101 Ganapathi temple and many other places. The 2.5 meter  footpath was evacuated using JCB machines today morning. The drive began at 9.30am.

A few of the vendors questioned the officials on the lack of notice and sought time to clear it. But MCC refused on the grounds that when public land is encroached, no notice or prior intimation is required.

 MCC health officer Dr Ramachandra said, “Keeping Dasara in mind, we are firstly evacuating food stalls in the Dasara core zone. Later we will head towards some of the main places such as Kuvempunagar and other areas.”

“It was decided to evict street vendors from the core area of the city. The core area of Mysuru is not only a tourist zone, but also an important commercial centre, and having street vendors only adds to the congestion,” he added.

On Wednesday evening, one of the main food junctions of the city, near NS road, in front of the commercial tax office was evacuated by MCC with police protection. The street vendors opposing the drive, got into a clash with the officials, but the drive continued.

There are over 6000 street vendors in Mysore, out which 2 thousand street vendors of city sell cooked food.