Navinna pavement encroached by a ‘shop-from-the-car outlets’

Unauthorised structures are coming up on daily basis all over Colombo suburbs. The latest is the extension of the front of a long building on to the pavement to open two stalls to sell vegetables and fruits, located just 100 yards from the Arpico building towards Navinna Junction, on the very busy High Level Road.

The best part is that ‘Colombo-suburbs-7 elite’ park their cars on the little space between the road and the pavement shops to do their marketing like ladies and lords of the British Empire - the only missing things are the tail-coats and hats . This practice however, has created a dangerous situation where ordinary people/pavement users are unable to pass this point without getting on to the main High Level Road at a great risk of being run over by a speeding vehicle. This has been going on unabated for the last two months or so. A few days ago, I saw a push-cyclist knocking down a passer-by at this point - luckily no limbs were broken.

The Maharagama Pradeshiya Sabawa has so far ignored this recently put up structure, although inspectors and other officials of the PS are passing this place regularly. Police vehicles too pass this point, but have probably not seen the structure. If a house owner puts up a shed to keep their old items, PS inspectors turn up in numbers to question. How did they allow this structure? Does it belong to any one connected to a Minister or high ups in the PS?

The latest is, on Poya nights, another party (probably to sell foreign wines?) has started putting up an additional shed jutting on to the road, right next to these existing stalls.

This means about 100-150 feet stretch of the pavement, which is there solely for walking purposes, is misused by these unscrupulous people, endangering the lives of poor people in the area.

Over to you Mr. Chairman of PS; if this is authorised, at least ask them not to allow cars to be parked in front of stalls, blocking the road users’ pavement.Charles Silva