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Festive rush: Ludhiana markets chock-a-block with encroachments once again
Encroachments can be seen in several Ludhiana markets, including Jawahar Nagar market, Field Ganj, Model Town, BRS Nagar, Ghumar Mandi, Daresi and others. At some places, mehandi artists have even set up tents ahead of Karva Chauth. The result: traffic snarls and parking woes for the visitors.
The city’s main markets are chock-a-block once again as shopkeepers and vendors have encroached upon the roads ahead of the festive season, in the absence of any checks by the municipal corporation.
This even as mayor Balkar Sandhu had warned of strict action against the practice.
Encroachments can be seen in several markets, including Jawahar Nagar market, Field Ganj, Model Town, BRS Nagar, Ghumar Mandi, Daresi and others. At some places, mehandi artists have even set up tents ahead of Karva Chauth. The result: traffic snarls and parking woes for the visitors.
Gurnoor Singh, a resident of New Model Town, said, “Lack of parking space is already a major concern in city markets and the situation has only worsened due to the encroachments ahead of festive season. Sometimes, we end up losing at least 15 to 20 minutes while trying to find a parking spot or navigating the jams.”
In Jawahar Nagar market, shopkeepers have set up separate tents outside their shops.
Dilpreet Singh, a resident of Dugri area, said, “I had gone to Model Town, Gol market, with my mother a few days ago. It was a complete mess. The MC should either act against such encroachments or come up with alternate parking arrangements.”
An MC official, requesting anonymity, said, “Earlier, the MC used to charge shopkeepers and allow them to take up a portion outside their shops during festival season. As it caused traffic jams, the MC stopped the practice around three years ago. But now, they have just succumbed to the pressure from shopkeepers and politicians ahead of assembly elections.”
Meanwhile, MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal said strict directions have been issued to the staff for removing encroachments by shopkeepers. “I will direct the in-charge of tehbazaari wing to check the situation and ensure smooth flow of traffic in the markets. Strict action will also be taken against officials who fail to act against the violators,” said Sabharwal.
10 months on, MC fails to establish notified vending zones in the city
Though 10 months have passed since the Ludhiana civic body notified 64 vending zones, there are no sign of these anywhere in the city. The vending zones are being set up so that vendors can be removed from roadsides and allotted a designated space to carry out the business without affecting the traffic. The vending zones are to be established in Field Ganj, Civil Lines, Ghumar Mandi, Model Town, Gill Road, Hambran Road, Daresi among other areas.
MC secretary Neeraj Jain said the process to establish vending zones is on and the MC has to take certain permissions from other departments such as LIT, GLADA etc, as a few sites fall under their jurisdiction. A few permissions are also to be taken from the finance and contracts committee (F and CC) of MC and an agenda regarding this will be taken in the next meeting, he added.
