Mangaluru : A team of officials from Mangaluru City Corporation on Wednesday carried out a drive to remove illegal petty shops that had encroached upon public spaces in the Hampankatta area here.

Corporation personnel, led by Revenue Officer Praveen Chandra and Health Officer Manjaiah Shetty, removed the petty shops that had come up on pavements and other public places around State Bank Bus Stand, Rao and Rao Circle and between the Lady Goschen Hospital and the Central Market.

A few days ago, the corporation Council had resolved to remove petty shops that were illegally occupying public spaces in the city. Apart from a complaint that the petty shops blocked free movement of people in these areas, the corporation had received complaints from the police that they caused public nuisance.

Officials said that prior notice had been served on the owners of these shops asking them to vacate from the area. The corporation personnel started removing the sops at around 7 a.m. They brought earthmovers to these shops. Around 25 such shops were cleared in the drive that went on till around 10 a.m. A majority of the shop owners had vacated the shops.

Only a few, including a Nandini Milk Parlour opposite the Lady Goschen Hospital bus stop, was given time to clear the material inside before the structures were brought down.

On Thursday, the drive will be held in and around Kankanady Market, corporation officials said.