The new vegetable market near Jalandhar bypass continues to be plagued by illegal encroachments, leading to a surge in traffic congestion and inconvenience for visitors. This dire situation has escalated to the point where people, despite paying parking fees, are struggling to find suitable parking spots for their vehicles.
Fruit and vegetable vendors stand illegally over footpaths and roads both within and outside the market, hindering the smooth flow of vehicles and pedestrians. The vegetable market, intended to provide a convenient shopping experience, has ironically become a hotspot for daily traffic snarls due to unauthorised encroachments.
The officials of the mandi board have identified at least 67 instances of encroachments within the premises of the vegetable market.
One of the vendors, requesting anonymity, said, “We have installed our carts at the footpaths outside the vegetable market for which the contractor of the market is even charging us on per day basis to locate our carts. We are paying the contractor around ₹50 to ₹100 per day.”
A few months back, the mandi board officials had taken action against the encroachers and dismantled as many as 18 encroachments inside the market but again the situation remained the same even after the drive.
Visitors to the market have expressed their frustration, with many highlighting the ordeal they face due to the congestion caused by the encroachments. One local resident, Priya Sharma, said, “It has become a nightmare to navigate through the market. The footpaths and roads are clogged with vendors’ carts, making it difficult to even walk, let alone find a parking spot.”
{{/usCountry}}Visitors to the market have expressed their frustration, with many highlighting the ordeal they face due to the congestion caused by the encroachments. One local resident, Priya Sharma, said, “It has become a nightmare to navigate through the market. The footpaths and roads are clogged with vendors’ carts, making it difficult to even walk, let alone find a parking spot.”
{{/usCountry}}Another shopper, Rajesh Kumar, narrating his ordeal, said, “I come here to buy fresh vegetables, but finding a parking space has become a task in itself. The market authorities need to address this issue promptly to ensure a hassle-free shopping experience for all.”
The market committee secretary Harinder Singhs said, “A recent survey was conducted to identify and assess the extent of illegal encroachments both within and outside the market. The results indicated over 100 such encroachments, prompting us to issue notices to the violators. We are determined to rectify this issue and a comprehensive drive will be launched soon to rid the market of these encroachments.”