Hundreds of illegal shops along Taiwo Road, Ilorin, the Kwara State capital have been demolished by the state Town Planning and Development Authority for encroachment on the high way.

The Executive Secretary of the Town Planning and Development Authority (TPL), Raimi Oladele Adeoti, in an interview with newsmen said the demolition was carried out last week to rid the road of illegal shops that have encroached on setbacks along Taiwo Road.

Adeoti explained that the operation, which is a continuous exercise, was meant to create a conducive environment and enhance the beauty of Ilorin metropolis.

Other objectives of the exercise, according to Adeoti, was to allow provision of utility lines such as water main, electricity poles, armored cable and optic fiber cable for GSM providers and other government utilities and services.

He stated further that the demolition was meant to sanities the system and enhance the aesthetics of Ilorin.

The authority scribe hinted that the demolition exercise would be extended to other major roads in Ilorin where traders have encroached on road setbacks.

He therefore enjoined traders along Taiwo and other major streets in Ilorin to strictly abide by the established setbacks by not displaying their wares beyond the approved limit.

"Any trader who flagrantly abuses the established setback will be made to face the full wrath of the law," Adeoti warned.

The secretary pointed out that no compensation would be paid to the owners of the affected shops because they went beyond the limit.

Some shop owners who spoke with newsmen lamented the development, saying that it would seriously affect their businesses.

However, with the clearing of the illegal shops, Taiwo Road is now wearing a new look with freer flow of traffic, unlike before when traffic hold up was the order of the day.

Culled from The Herald