Hyderabad: Puranapul vendors staged a protest against anti-encroachment drive carried out by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and Hyderabad Traffic Police on Saturday.
The angry vendors took strong exception against the anti-encroachment drive and sought immediate alternate spots for doing their business.
“We have been doing our business here for the last several years and we were given permission as well as cards have also been issued by the GHMC. But, they rushed here to remove us without any notice and intimation. We will not allow authorities to drive us out from here,” reacted, angry women vendors, who claimed that they had been doing their business for past 20-50 years.
The authorities said that the vendors have reportedly encroached upon a historical bridge (Puranapul Bridge), and were heading further and causing traffic problem.
In fact, once it was clear passage for the people moving towards different places in the old city of Hyderabad and the removal of encroachments from the Puranapul Bridge is likely to ease traffic problem in the area.
One of the oldest bridges Puranapul has been crying for attention for the several decades.
The entire passage has been occupied by vendors.
The Heritage lovers and activists urged to protect the historical passage. Almost 600ft long and 35ft broad bridge once attracted tourists from all over world, but has now become a home to vegetable and fruit vendors.
The Bridge was built in 1578 to provide better connectivity the then capital of Qutub Shahi Kingdom Golconda and the port city of Machilipatnam.