Row over parking space at Bakery Junction

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  Ownership of the vacant land beneath the Bakery Junction Flyover sparked off a bitter row on Monday morning after local traders and political parties objected to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) taking possession of it. The agitators forcibly removed a signboard and chains the RBI had used to cordon off three slots of parking space for its own use. Things cooled down down after the police arrived on the scene and held talks with both parties. The land in question is opposite the RBI office. The agitators maintained that the RBI had illegally cordoned off public space. But RBI officials, who had also posted two guards in the area, said the plots were allotted to the RBI as compensation for surrendering land free of cost for road-widening.  ‘’They have illegally taken possession of public land. It was not merely the RBI, but traders nearby too had given up land for widening the road,’’ said T S Binukumar, CPI local committee secretary.  ‘’There is little parking space in this neighbourhood. So, the RBI monopolising the space is unfair. They have asked two days’ time for presenting documents, which we don’t believe they have,’’ he said. But RBI officials denied this, saying that they had proof in writing. According to them, the State Government had allotted them the land for parking six four-wheelers and a smaller section between two pillars of the flyover for parking two-wheelers. ‘’The RBI surrendered 16 cents of land for widening of the road. The State Government had in writing given us the commitment for substitute land,’’ said RBI assistant general manager (Estates Department) R Sudeep. The Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB), which developed the road in question, supported the RBI view. ‘’It is true the commitment was given. The argument that traders there had also surrendered land is, however, not true, as only RBI land was acquired,’’ KRFB chief operating officer P C Harikesh said. There, in fact, are three parking slots in the disputed area, half of which was earmarked for the RBI and the other half for public use, he said.RBI officials said they had temporarily withdrawn from taking possession of the land owing to the outcry.