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Ludhiana: Traffic gridlocks order of the day at city markets
City markets have been witnessing major traffic gridlocks ahead of Diwali amid shopkeepers encroaching upon area of 8 to 10 feet outside their establishments and lack of designated parking areas
City markets have been witnessing major traffic gridlocks ahead of Diwali amid shopkeepers encroaching upon area of 8 to 10 feet outside their establishments and lack of designated parking areas.
At some markets, vendors have set-up their stalls on roadsides, leading to further traffic congestion.
At markets including Jawahar Nagar Camp, Model Town Gol market, Dugri, Field Ganj and Chaura Bazar, shopkeepers and street vendors have installed tents on roadsides, which lead to further congestion when people stop their cars to make purchases.
A resident of Model Town, Gurvansh Singh, said it has become difficult to even enter markets in the city in a car in the evening. “Heavy traffic jams are being witnessed at markets due to lack of parking space. If the administration cannot establish designated parking spaces in markets or take action against encroachments, then entry of cars should be stopped in markets during the festive season,” said Singh.
The civic body’s proposal to establish temporary parking sites near markets during festive season, which was mooted a few years back, has failed to see the light of the day.
An MC official, requesting anonymity, said politicians and market associations mount pressure on the civic body during the festive season, due to which they are forced to show leniency towards encroachments. Conducting anti-encroachment drives at this time of the year also leads to scuffles between the MC staff and shopkeepers, as the latter claim that this is the time of the year when they make most of their sales.
Meanwhile, residents demanded MC teams be deployed at every market in the city and encroachments, which are resulting in traffic bottlenecks, be removed immediately. A resident of Field Ganj, Taranjit Singh, said that during peak hours, it becomes difficult to cross the main Field Ganj Road even on a two wheeler due to encroachments and traffic jams. “The authorities should find a solution for the problem, as ambulances also get stuck in the traffic jams and a lot of time is wasted,” he said.
Meanwhile, MC joint commissioner Kulpreet Singh stated that anti-encroachment drives are being conducted in the city. “As it is the festival season, some relaxation is being given to shopkeepers on the condition that the stalls don’t create traffic bottlenecks. MC teams are taking strict action against encroachments so that the movement of traffic is not disturbed,” he said.
