Police personnel at the A.K.G Memorial Library located along Kundannoor-Chilavannoor road in Kochi on Friday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement 

Officials of the Maradu municipality could not complete eviction of encroachers along Kundannoor-Chilavannoor road following protests by councillors of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] on Friday.

The civic body had served eviction notices on 10 encroachers. Municipal chairman Antony Ashanparambil said nine encroachers had vacated the premises on their own. However, CPI(M) councillors protested against the eviction of A.K.G. Library along the stretch, he alleged.

The eviction process was initiated after the 78-hour deadline issued to encroachers by the municipality. “Police personnel were not adequate enough to carry out eviction. Though we had asked for additional force, the request was turned down citing the deployment of personnel in connection with the Chief Minister’s visit in the city on Friday,” said Mr. Ashanparambil.

Officials led by the municipal secretary decided to schedule the eviction for a later date. The municipal chairman said the civic body might initiate legal measures, if required, to evict encroachers.

C.R. Shanavas, the CPI(M) councillor representing the J.B. School Ward, said the party had opposed the eviction of the library as it was not located on the road. He alleged that the decision to evict the structure was politically motivated. The councillor said that the party had taken initiative to remove the temporary rest room for headload workers affiliated to the CITU and the T.K Ramakrishnan Memorial Library located on the encroached land.

The Public Works department, which owns the road, had earlier issued a letter asking the civic body to initiate action against encroachments.