Chandigarh residents rue shifting of wholesale mandi from Sector 26 to ISBT-17

After the wholesale vegetable and fruit market was shifted from Sector 26 to the Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT) in Sector 17, many residents have complained that the mandi has become a source of noise pollution and garbage accumulation.

As per Subhash Narang, president of the Sector 22-B market opposite to ISBT-17, in just a couple of days, the new location has become a nuisance. “Though most of the shops are closed, the parking of our market is already full with the carts of the vendors. These are also lined up outside affecting the flow of traffic.” He added that garbage could be seen strewn all across ISBT premises on Thursday.

NOISE WOES HIT ADJOINING SECTORS

Organizing secretary of the Sector 21 RWA Sandeep Bhalla said, “From 5am onwards, the mandi comes alive. Police vehicles use loudspeakers when patrolling the area and the noise affects the sleep cycles of many residents.”

Bhalla added that some vendors came to the sector without necessary passes. “Two entry points to Sector 21 are blocked but still vendors manage to come through. They don’t possess necessary passes and most of them don’t even wear masks properly.”

The Federation of Sector Welfare Associations of Chandigarh (FOSWAC) has sent a letter regarding this to the UT administration and the police and said they will meet the officials on Monday after public dealing resumes in government offices.

RESIDENTS FEEL UNSAFE

General secretary of the Sector 18 RWA Kamaljit Singh Panchii said many residents were fearful of being so close to a mandi where hundreds of vendors came daily. “On the first day, a tea seller was taken away for displaying flu-like symptoms. He was already inside the mandi and wasn’t even thermally screened. The administration needs to establish only one entry and exit point so that residents can stay assured that suspected Covid patients are not allowed to enter the mandi.” He added that it would be best if the mandi was shifted to the Sector 39 grain market site as it is at the periphery of the city and better suited.

Meanwhile, officials said the mandi had been shifted owing to a number of positive cases coming up in Bapu Dham Colony in Sector 26. “The shift is temporary and the premises are sanitized daily.” UT adviser Manoj Parida has also issued an order under which the traders will have to pay for any damage to the infrastructure of ISBT including dumping of garbage.