Ahead of Rakhi, encroachments galore in Ludhiana markets

With Raksha Bandhan round the corner, encroachments by shopkeepers and stall owners have once again started mushrooming on roadsides and outside shops in city markets, leading to traffic bottlenecks and parking woes.

With the municipal corporation failing to take action against these encroachers, a large number of violations can be seen in different markets of the city, including Jawahar Nagar camp market, Gol market in Model Town, Field Ganj, Chaura Bazar and other areas.

Gurminder Singh, a resident of New Model Town, said, “There is already a lack of parking space in city markets and with encroachments, the situation only worsens. There is barely any space to walk or park one’s car. The worst-hit are the Jawahar Nagar market, Model Town, Gol market etc which see a huge footfall during the festival season.”

Nitish, a resident of Nehru Nagar in Model Town area, said, “Some shopkeepers even encroach around 10-ft of the area outside their shops. It becomes even more difficult to cross the area on a four-wheeler. Traffic cops should be deployed in such markets during the festival season to streamline the movement of vehicle and issue challans for wrong parking.”

Shopkeepers cite pandemic losses, say MC should take a lenient view

Meanwhile, shopkeepers demanded that the civic body should allow them to install vends during the festival season so as to give them a chance to recover the losses suffered during the pandemic-induced lockdown.

Model Town market association president Amarjit Singh said, “We have all suffered major losses since the lockdown imposed in the country last year. The civic body should take a lenient view so that we can recover some of our losses.”

He added, “I also appeal to the shopkeepers to not obstruct traffic flow as customers themselves would avoid visiting markets that have huge traffic jams.”

An MC official, requesting anonymity, said the civic body has been denying permission for installing vends/stalls outside the shops for the last three years, but no action is taken against the violators due to political interference.

The MC has not yet taken any decision on allowing stalls this festival season.

Mayor Balkar Sandhu said, “We might allow the shopkeepers to install stalls outside their shops this time, but in a limited area so that they don’t prove to be a hindrance to smooth flow of traffic. I will direct the officials to act against the violators.”