Chandigarh: UT cracks down on encroachments in Manimajra; top officials inspect as SC affidavit deadline nears

The operation forms part of an ongoing citywide campaign to regulate street vending and ensure unobstructed movement for pedestrians and vehicles.

In a stepped-up drive against illegal encroachments, the UT administration carried out a large-scale removal of unauthorised vendors in the congested markets and narrow lanes of Sector 13, Manimajra, reclaiming key public spaces that had long remained choked.

Court has sought a compliance report by May 20. (HT File)

The operation forms part of an ongoing citywide campaign to regulate street vending and ensure unobstructed movement for pedestrians and vehicles. According to sources, the administration is preparing to submit an affidavit before the Supreme Court of India on May 12, asserting that it has established effective control over illegal hawking in the city.

Soon after the drive, a team of senior officials, including home secretary Mandeep Singh Brar, deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav, SSP Kanwardeep Kaur and municipal corporation joint commissioner Himanshu Gupta, conducted an on-ground inspection of the cleared areas.

Accompanied by enforcement and civic teams, the officials reviewed conditions in the markets and adjoining lanes, taking stock of the extent of encroachments and the effectiveness of the removal exercise. They issued strict directions to ensure sustained enforcement, emphasising that public pathways must remain clear and accessible.

Encroachment, particularly in densely populated commercial pockets like Manimajra, has remained a persistent civic challenge, with repeated complaints regarding blocked roads safety hazards and disruption to daily movement.

The Punjab and Haryana high court earlier directed the Chandigarh municipal corporation to remove encroachments from public places and sought a compliance report by May 20.