Harihara Local Authorities Launch Major Drive to Clear Footpath Encroachments and Dilapidated Structures

In a major civic crackdown in Harihara town, Davanagere district, local authorities initiated a multi-day anti-encroachment drive to clear footpaths and remove illegal roadside structures. Led jointly by Harihara City Municipal Council Commissioner A. Eeramma, Tahsildar G. Santhosh Kumar, PWD Executive Engineer Mariswamy, and Police PSI Praveen Olekar, the operation deployed JCB excavators starting early morning to clear illegal shop extensions, sheds, and hoardings along the busy Birur-Sammasagi State Highway and Old PB Road. The drive targeted congested commercial stretches, including Parilal Road, Jayashree Talkies area, Stadium Road, and near the Tahsildar office. Officials also demolished a heavily dilapidated, unsafe commercial structure near the main junction locally referred to as the 'Bhoota Bungalow,' which was posing a severe safety hazard to passersby and operating without revenue payments. While the operation was welcomed by pedestrians and motorists who have long complained about traffic bottlenecks and blocked footpaths, it triggered protests from local street vendors. The Karnataka United Street Vendors Association submitted a formal memorandum to Municipal Commissioner A. Eeramma, urging the administration to halt forced evictions and provide suitable alternative vending zones to protect their livelihoods. For Harihara residents, the clearance initiative is expected to improve road safety and traffic flow, provided the administration balances urban regulation with fair vendor rehabilitation.