Illegal roadside shops in Munnar cause traffic jams and wildlife conflicts

Unauthorised roadside shops successful Munnar are obstructing pedestrians and causing agelong postulation jams, portion besides contributing to expanding human-wildlife conflicts successful the area.

Last week, roadside shops were removed from RO Junction successful Munnar for road development, but they were rapidly relocated to the Munnar-Bodimettu National Highway pavement, which is again illegal.

C.K. Babulal, president of the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasi Ekopana Samity (KVVES) Munnar unit, stated that roadside stalls are strictly prohibited connected National Highways. “In Munnar, shops connected pavements and constrictive streets make gridlock arsenic tourer vehicles halt successful beforehand of them. These shops were acceptable up with governmental support, and the merchants’ relation is awaiting a panchayat determination connected their removal,” said Mr. Babulal.

Sources assertion that discarded dumped by vendors attracts chaotic animals, including chaotic elephants. In October 2024, erstwhile Munnar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) submitted a missive to the Idukki District Collector stating that 387 unauthorised shops were operating successful Munnar, creating hotspots for human-animal conflict. However, the Forest section has reportedly taken nary enactment truthful acold to forestall the mushrooming of amerciable shops oregon the roadside dumping of waste.

Munnar Range Officer S. Biju clarified that the section is not opposed to the shops. “Most of these shops merchantability nutrient and dump discarded successful the vicinity. Due to the lack of capable discarded disposal measures, wildlife is attracted to the town. Our petition is that these shops guarantee discarded is removed connected the aforesaid day,” Mr. Biju said.

“Most of these shops are fixed straight successful elephant corridors, causing a disturbance to the animals. This results successful the elephants destroying the shops arsenic they effort to walk through,” R. Mohan, president of the Munnar Environment and Wildlife Society (MEWS), said.