Criminal cases will be filed against shopkeepers operating on the stretch of the road on NH4A near R.P.D. Cross that has been encroached upon said Belagavi City Corporation Commissioner M.R. Ravi Kumar.
He said notices had been issued to occupants of 14 shops, who were not owners but were running commercial activities without trade licence and payment of taxes to the corporation for the past one year, had no legal building permission, no legal electricity connection from the Hubballi Electricity Supply Company and had not obtained no-objection certificate either from the Public Works Department or the National Highways Authority of India.
Mr. Ravi Kumar told presspersons that of them, only 12 had appeared for a recent hearing. The other two included a grocery shop run by Mayor Kiran K. Sayanak. It is among the 14 shops awaiting demolition to enable upgrade the stretch of the road from Goaves to Machhe via RPD Cross into six lane. A final decision on the action to be taken against these shops would be taken on Thursday.