Shopkeepers protest Municipality’s plan to evict them from GH

Chengalpattu: Tension prevailed near Chengalpattu Government Hospital on Friday when a group of shopkeepers who own small businesses in front of the hospital gathered in protest against the Municipality’s decision to evict them from the area.

Several people owned small businesses like cloth shops, shops selling women’s wellness items, cab and auto stands etc in front of the Government Hospital for many years.

However, the Chengalpattu Municipality recently decided to evict everyone and set up a two-wheeler stand in that space at a cost of Rs 27 lakh. Following this, when Municipality officials along with a posse of cops arrived at the scene to evict the shops, the shopkeepers who heard the news gathered in protest along with some communist party and CITU cadres and refused to let the officials do their duty.

On seeing the situation escalate, more than 50 police personnel from the Chengalpattu Town police station arrived and also stationed two fire and rescue service vehicles after they received information that two women were planning to self-immolate. After talks, the officials left the premises giving everyone two-day time.