COIMBATORE: In a major encroachment eviction drive,
city corporation officials have reclaimed about 1.2 acres of land which
was encroached and used to unload grinder stones used in assembling wet
grinders and as a parking lot for private vehicles. The total worth of
the land is estimated to be about Rs 40 crore in the real estate market
and according to corporation officials is one of the costliest patch of
corporation owned land reclaimed from encroachers in recent years.

“At least five to six private parties had encroached upon the land for a
long time until it was brought to our notice,” said TK Ponnusamy,
Commissioner, Coimbatore Municipal Corporation.

According to corporation officials there was also a shed erected in the
compound used to chisel granite stones unloaded and shape them into
grinding stones to be supplied to wet grinder units. A private travels
company also utilised the compound to park their vehicles. The city
corporation is planning to erect a board after removing the
encroachments citing that it is corporation owned land and warning of
strict action against encroachers.

The corporation had carried
out the eviction using its conservancy workers and an earth remover
machine. It has been evicting encroachments within its limits during the
mass cleaning campaign being held for the last few weeks. The
encroached area is closely located near a scheme road that leads to
North Coimbatore. Corporation commissioner TK Ponnusamy has assured
stern action against encroachers who have illegally occupied corporation
owned land.