Year after eviction drive, Chandigarh’s Sector 22 bustling with illegal vendors again
MC had assured of action against illegal vendors, but the ground reality shows a different picture
A year after the municipal corporation cleared the Sector 22 market of illegal vendors, squatters have returned to the market besides Kiran Cinema in Sector 22-D.
Selling their products from unauthorised spots, vendors have set up shop on the railings, pathways and even corridors in front of stores, while others can be spotted walking around in search of customers.
In December last year, MC had removed the illegal vendors and relocated others, while allotting only 97 slots to vendors to carry on with their business in Sector 22 itself as part of a rehabilitation drive.
While the corporation had assured of strict action against any illegal vendors thereon, ground reality shows a different picture.
“We have been complaining to the authorities for so long, but the illegal vendors are still here. Worse, they don’t wear masks and sit close to each other, completely bypassing social distancing norms,” said Jaswinder Nagpal, president of the Shastri Market Welfare Association (MWA), Sector 22.
A shopkeeper, wishing not to be named, said, “Earlier due to lower footfall, nobody was bothered about them. But, around Diwali they became a major nuisance. The officials take note of this, but only during their sporadic visits.”
‘Permanent MC inspector needed’
Local councillor and senior deputy mayor Ravikant Sharma said before the rehabilitation drive was carried out, one MC inspector was always present at each market, but now a single inspector was required to visit various sectors. “I will bring this up in the MC House meeting so that the previous arrangement can be restored,” he added.
The Sector-22 market area falls under the jurisdiction of the Sector 17 police station. However, police officials from there said they weren’t directly involved in removing the vendors. “Police personnel assist the MC teams when they visit the area. Their duty is to ensure the safety of the MC staff on duty,” a police official said.
On his part, MC commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav said he will ask the enforcement teams to visit the market and clear unauthorised stalls.
Vending zones dead end for traders
Many relocated vendors are returning to their original location for better business prospects.
In Sector 15, vendors are not making any sales. Rattan Kumar, who sells clothes and was shifted here from Sector 17, said, “I hardly sell more than three or four items in a day, while in Sector 17, my sales were much higher. After the lockdown, I don’t even have enough savings to buy new stock for sale, so I sell clothes on commission.”
Amarjeet Singh, who came here from Sector 22, added that the MC’s draconian policies had left them with no will to continue. “While we were not charged for setting up shop in April and May, the monthly vending fee has been increased from Rs 2,100 to Rs 2,250. So many promises were made when vendors were shifted here, but now everyone seems to have given up on us,” he rued.