Three days after launching the much-hyped anti-encroachment drive, the Phagwara municipal corporation (MC) has failed to achieve any positive result.
On Wednesday, illegal vendors could be seen roaming freely around the town with the MC officials nowhere in sight.
While launching the drive on Monday, the civic body had said it would remove encroachments by vendors in localities such as Nakodar Chowk, Hadiabad Chowk, Sugar Mill Chowk, City Heart Restaurant, Gol Chowk, Banga Road and GT Road.
However, the drive failed on the very first day as vendors at Hoshiarpur Road managed to seek more time from the sub-divisional magistrate.
There were protests on Tuesday and vendors jousted with MC officials and prevented them from pulling down the encroachments, asking them to pull down encroachments in "posh colonies" first.
But, perhaps disillusioned by initial glitches, the MC authorities themselves chose to make no effort on the third day.
However, MC executive Adarsh Kumar said the drive, planned to continue till May 13, will resume on Thursday.
"Due to preoccupied schedule, they failed to initiate any action on Wednesday… we will make this city encroachment-free," he said.
{{/usCountry}}"Due to preoccupied schedule, they failed to initiate any action on Wednesday… we will make this city encroachment-free," he said.
{{/usCountry}}Phagwara police on Wednesday booked two persons for creating ruckus and interrupting the MC's special anti-encroachment drive. The accused have been identified as Rajnish Pasricha and Harmesh Lal. The two were part of a group of vendors that prevented MC officials from pulling down encroachments at Nakodar Road. The case was registered following a complaint by MC.