E-Paper
Police, MC to restart anti-encroachment drives in Ludhiana from June 25
The police will first hold awareness drives in the city for 15 days before starting the anti-encroachment drives
Put on hold after the imposition of curfew in the state, the police and the municipal corporation (MC) have decided to restart drives to remove encroachments made by street vendors and shopkeepers on city roads.
The police would first hold awareness drives in the city for 15 days before starting the anti-encroachment drives from June 25.
Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu has recommended strict action against the violators, who encroach upon roads and disrupt the smooth movement of traffic, especially in old city areas.
Sandhu said, “Street vendors and shopkeepers have encroached upon the city roads as the anti- encroachments drives were put on hold in March. I have taken up the matter with commissioner of police Rakesh Agrawal and both the departments would commence drives from June 25. Strict action would be taken against the violators and FIRs would also be lodged.”
Patron of the Akalgarh Market Association Maninderpal Singh (Prince) Middha said, “The market shopkeepers are also facing problems due to encroachments by a few of the shopkeepers outside their shops. The encroachers cover most part of the road resulting in traffic bottlenecks.”
The police department has also shared the information through its Facebook page urging shopkeepers and street vendors to remove encroachments from city roads.
Agrawal said, “It has come to light that many shopkeepers and street vendors have again encroached upon the city roads in different areas of the city. FIRs would be lodged against the violators, if they fail to remove encroachments by June 25.”
Earlier, in the last week of February, the police had announced the third phase of the anti-encroachment drive and 60 roads of the city had to be covered. The authorities had covered 40 roads in the initial two phases and lodged FIRs against around 100 shopkeepers and vendors.
The drives were opposed by different vendor associations stating that the MC had failed to establish vending zones in the city and before removing the vendors from roads, the MC should set up a zone for vendors, where they could earn their livelihood.
Sandhu said the MC was working on establishing permanent vending zones in the city. However, 100 proposed vending zones have been identified by the MC and the lists have also been provided to the vendors. The vendors could install their vends at these sites, he added
