MC puts on hold nod to festival stalls in markets

Will first seek legal opinion following HC’s directions against encroachments; traders cry foul

This festival season, city markets might not have special stalls by shopkeepers or vendors.

In previous years, all markets in Chandigarh used to have special stalls put up before Karva Chauth and Diwali, permissions for which were given by the MC enforcement department on a fixed charge per day, ranging between ₹150 and ₹3,500. (HT FILE)

The municipal corporation (MC) has put on hold permissions to set up stalls following the recent Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) directions on widespread encroachments in the markets.

MC commissioner KK Yadav told HT on Tuesday that MC so far is not giving any permissions to set up temporary festival stalls in any of the markets since the HC directions are clear that any unauthorised vending should not be allowed there. The MC too has given an undertaking to not allow any unauthorised vending.

“At a time when we are taking action against unauthorised vending, temporary permission to shopkeepers and vendors may lead to the contempt of court and go against our official stand before the high court,” said Yadav.

“Hence any decision to give such permission will be subject to legal opinion in this matter that has already been sent to the UT senior standing counsel,” he said

TRADERS IN FIX, FEAR FINANCIAL LOSSES

In previous years, all city markets had special stalls put up before Karva Chauth and Diwali, permissions for which were given by the MC enforcement department on a fixed charge per day, ranging from ₹150 to ₹3,500, depending on products sold and locations. Rates were high in the busy markets of Sector 17 and Sector 22 markets which had record footfalls for festival shopping.

Traders, however, are in a fix.

A delegation of the Chandigarh Beopar Mandal met both the MC commissioner and mayor, seeking relaxation in their stand. Mandal chairman Charanjit Singh said later that the traders will face huge losses if stalls are not allowed in the market, adding, “All traders have bought festival stocks that will go unsold.”

“It won’t feel like a festival and people will not be able to shop for a variety of items otherwise not available in shops,” said a few traders who met the MC authorities on Tuesday

However, MC enforcement staff said there had been problems earlier regulating permissions during the festival season as vendors and shopkeepers encroached on parking areas and corridors of the markets, creating chaos.

Yadav said that MC will ensure proper regulations if permissions for temporary stalls are granted.