Failing to take action against illegal carts in the city, mayor Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria has acknowledged that there is indeed a mafia operating in the city, allowing people to station their carts by charging them.
Gohalwaria also accepted that the staff of the tehbazari wing or the anti-encroachment wing was not competent enough to remove rehris from different areas.
The Hindustan Times on June 5 had reported that there was a racket of illegal carts going on in the city, in which influential people, including politicians and local leaders, charge money from cart owners to station their carts on roads resulting in traffic disruption.
“I will not allow the rehri mafia to grow in the city. There is no space for this mafia. However, poor cart owners will be accommodated in the vending zone policy that will be implemented soon,” said the mayor.
He said, “The vending zone policy is at an advanced stage and will be a boon for poor, who earn their living by selling items on carts in different areas of the city.”
“I have had discussions with senior officials of the MC and have identified many areas in the city, where these vending zones would be established and carts would be allowed to station there with the permission of the MC. This would also provide much needed funds to the MC,” the mayor added.
{{/usCountry}}“I have had discussions with senior officials of the MC and have identified many areas in the city, where these vending zones would be established and carts would be allowed to station there with the permission of the MC. This would also provide much needed funds to the MC,” the mayor added.
{{/usCountry}}Areas are being identified in all four zones that would be turned into vending zones. The city would be divided into vending and non-vending zones.
Ludhiana was in the dire need of such a policy as carts have led to traffic snarls.
“These zones would be given on contract to private players so that income is generated for the MC,” said Gohalwaria.