Ludhiana | Shop owners pour scorn on MC for failing to act against encroachments despite court orders
Citing the orders issued by the court of SDM (East) Gursimran Singh Dhillon on September 5, the Pink Plaza Market Association rued that installation of vends outside the market was resulting in losses to their business and despite repeated complaints, Ludhiana MC and the police had failed to act against encroachments
At a time when shopkeepers and street vendors in Pink Plaza market (Chaura Bazar) are at loggerheads over the installation of vends near the market entry, the municipal corporation (MC) has been facing flak over its failure to act against encroachments even after the court of SDM ordered the civic body to remove the same.
Citing the orders issued by the court of SDM (East) Gursimran Singh Dhillon on September 5, the Pink Plaza Market Association rued that installation of vends outside the market was resulting in losses to their business and despite repeated complaints, civic body and the police had failed to act against the illegal activity.
Chairperson of the market association Ashwani Kumar and president Rubal Dhall said earlier, the vends were installed in Chaura Bazar. “With an aim to clear the space along the roadside, Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) established the Pink plaza market and allotted shops to 45 vendors around eight years back. But now, many other vendors have installed their vends at the entry point of the market by encroaching upon the road portion,” they said.
After authorities failed to take any action against encroachments, they filed a petition in the court, which had now ordered the authorities to remove the vends, they added.
“ The MC is still not taking action against encroachments even after the officials have been apprised of the court orders. We are facing losses in our business and if the MC fails to act against encroachments, we will be forced to file a complaint in the court against the civic body too,” Dhall said.
Recently, a high drama was witnessed in the market after street vendors and shopkeepers entered into a verbal spat over the same issue.
The vendors claim that they deposit a monthly composition fee with the MC for installing the vends along the roadside and they have also registered themselves with the MC. They accused shopkeepers of levelling baseless allegations even as the vendors are also trying to earn bread and butter for their families by installing temporary vends.
One of the MC officials, requesting anonymity, said earlier, a few shopkeepers also used to charge rent from vendors for installing vends outside the market. Due to some tussle between both the parties over payment of rent, shopkeepers now want vends to be removed from the market, the official said.
Meanwhile, MC superintendent Vivek Verma said the matter is in the knowledge of higher authorities and the MC would conduct an anti-encroachment drive in the area soon.