Open House: What should be done to effectively address widespread encroachments in the Chandigarh?

Despite the administration having allotted vacant spaces to vendors in Sectors 15, 19, 20 and 22 they choose to conduct their business in open spaces such as corridors, footpaths, parking lots, etc. The MC staff is outnumberd by the vendors hence they can’t keep a check at all times. The MC should shift checking time to the evening from 6 pm to 9 pm when most vendors work. Many of these vendors are government Class IV employees, who prefer to work on holidays and after their duty hours.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

Form Committee to check encroachments

To curb this menace the area councillors and other officers who let encroachments take place for money must be held accountable. Most vendors bribe the area’s officers, including police officials who then let them run their businesses illegally. The Governor of Punjab and Administrator of the UT should constitute a committee and randomly conduct inspections across the Tricity to save the City Beautiful from illegal vendors.

Kirpal Singh, Chandigarh

Unemployment turns youths into vendors

In a well-planned city like Chandigarh, seeing an army of illegal vendors at every other traffic light, crossing, market, temple and bus stop is annoying. Cheap chinese goods are sold by them and people are attracted due to the cheap rates. Often one may find that these vendors are educated youths, who have resorted to this professions due to the soaring rate of unemployment in the country. High rental rates of shops is another reason, forcing them to set up shop on roads.

Deepak Taak, Panchkula

Identify officials Who take ‘hafta’

The UT administration has failed at putting a stop to encroachment by vendors. The situation gets worse during the festival season. The administration conducts raids occasionally, but the vendors resume their business the very next day of the inspection. The administration should identify black sheep who are take ‘hafta vasooli’ from these vendors. There should be a daily vigil at the prone markets by honest officers.

Yash Khetarpal, Panchkula

Relocate vendors to designated spaces

Encroachment by vendors is a serious issue but a humane approach is essential. The city residents are clients of these vendors and they are just trying to earn a living. If there was no demand from people, vendors would automatically stop existing. The administration needs to relocate them to designated places so that their business doesn’t suffer.

Gurnoor Grewal, Chandigarh

Create vending zones in neighbourhoods

Illegal vendors are often honest people, striving to make a living. Instead of penalising them the government should allocate designated areas in each neighbourhood for them. By charging a nominal fee and issuing ID cards, the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation can regulate these vendors and generate revenue, too.

Vijay Katyal, Panchkula

Form street vendors association

Specific zones should be designated where street vending is allowed without obstructing pedestrians and traffic. There should be regular inspections and surveillance through drones and CCTV cameras. Licences should be issued and those who do not have them should be penalised. Displaced vendors should be supported through skill development and financial assistance. Street vendors’ association should be made.

Harinder Singh Bhalla, Chandigarh

Enforce Street Vendors Act

The implementation of Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulations of Street Vending) Act, 2014 against unauthorised street vendors is the need of the hour. FIRs should be filed against those who don’t move despite being challaned. Additional police personnel should be deployed to curb this menace, especially in the evenings. A survey should be undertaken to identify vendors who are registered but haven’t paid the fee. After a final warning, their licence should be cancelled. The concept of model vending zones also needs to be given a push.

Brigadier Advitya Madan, Chandigarh

Implement ‘perform or perish’ rule

If any official is found having a lax attitude in discharging their duty they should be dismissed from service. Rule of ‘Perform or Perish’ should be implemented only transeferring people won’t work.

K C Rana, Chandigarh

Provide scope of alternative livelihood

To effectively address widespread encroachments designated vending zones with amenities should be created and alternative livelihood opportunities should be provided. A comprehensive plan with the involvement of stakeholders can help reclaim public spaces and promote a more organised system.

Gaganpreet singh, Mohali

Community-driven awareness programme

To address widespread encroachments by illegal street vendors, the city must create designated vending zones with affordable permits. Mobile courts should be made for immediate resolution and penalties and community-driven awareness campaigns should be introduced.

Amanjot Kaur, Mohali

Slap hefty penalties on violators

To effectively address the problem the city should implement a comprehensive relocation plan, providing designated spaces for vendors to operate in and violators should be penalised. Fostering a culture of responsible vending through awareness campaigns and education programmes can help promote sustainable and legal vendors.

Gurdev singh, Mohali

Provide basic facilites in vending zones

While enforcement measures are necessary, a more holistic solution is needed. A vendor registration programme should be launched to help provide them legitimate spaces to operate, reduce congestion and to improve the city’s aesthetics. The government should invest in infrastructure such as public restrooms and waste management facilities, to enhance the overall experience for both vendors and residents.

Gurpreet Kaur, Mohali

Provide training to vendors

Vendors should be given training and licences. Local communities should engage with them to understand their needs. By combining enforcement with support, the city can address the problem of encroachments.

Sahibpreet singh, Mohali

Hold regular inspections

To effectively address illegal street vendors, authorities should hold regular inspections. Awareness should be spread through campaigns to ensure compliance. Additionally, involving local communities in decision-making and offering alternative livelihoods can foster cooperation and reduce resistance. This holistic strategy can help manage encroachments, while supporting livelihoods.

Sargunpreet kaur, Mohali

Involve locals, SHOs to check illegal vending

Havy fines should be imposed and local SHOs should be involved to check the growing menace of illegal vendors.

HS Dhanoa, Chandigarh

Hold officials accountable

Widespread encroachment by vendors continues because officials are paid to turn a blind eye. If one asks any vendor they would find out how much money they shell out to bribe officials in return for letting them function. Strict implementation of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of street Vending) Act, 2014 is required with zero tolerance for encroachments and dereliction of official responsibility.

Lalit Bharadwaj, Panchkula

Focus on other encroachments too

Encroachments by street vendors makes up for hardly five per cent of the total encroachments in Tricity. Most residents have encroached upon public spaces be it at their residence or work place. Most vehicles in the city are parked illegally on roads. To address encroachments, those made by people themselves must be removed before pointing fingers at street vendors.

Ashok Kumar, Panchkula

Scatter vendors across sectors

Vendors should be relocated but not at the cost of traders. The matter has to be solved amicably. To avoid burdening one specific place these vendors should be scattered across sectors and the number of vendors at each site should be fixed. Vendors should be allowed to operate only in these designated spaces that have facilities such as segregated waste disposal.

Charu Malhotra, Mohali

councillors should do surprise checks

The issues of street vendors comes up from time to time and the MC staff removes them from public spaces, but they sprout up again after a while. The MC staff has to be more vigilant and tie up with locals to report any encroachments in their areas. Area councillors should also conduct surprise checks.

MR Bhateja, Naya Gaon

Officials should work in tandem with locals

Enhanced monitoring, community engagement and public participation are also crucial for sustainable solutions. To effectively tackle illegal street vendors and encroachments in the city, stricter enforcement of regulations, better alternative livelihood options and increased public awareness are needed. A unified effort by the MC and residents can ensure a cleaner and safer city for all.

Prithvee Yakhmi, Chandigarh

Confiscate goods of illegal vendors

Street vendors cannot encroach markets without the involvement of officials. There is a need to make the MC officials accountable for encroachments. Regular checks by the officials concerned and confiscating of materials from the vendors may send a positive signal towards making Chandigarh encroachment-free.

Wg Cdr JS Minhas (retd), Mohali

Offer micro-loans to vendors

Addressing the issue of illegal street vendors requires a balanced approach. Simply enforcing strict bans can displace vendors without resolving the underlying economic issues. Municipalities should establish designated vending zones, streamline licencing procedures and offer micro-loans or grants to vendors to formalise their businesses. Community dialogues and workshops can bridge the gaps between vendors and residents, fostering mutual respect and understanding.

Devanjana, Chandigarh

Charge one-time allotment fee

The municipal corporation must relocate vendors to earmarked places across the city and allot individual spaces at a charge of a one-time allotment fee, in addition to a monthly charge. Some vendors should also be allotted specific places in sector markets to maintain the originality of the markets and these permissions should come at a higher fee. This would help the MC earn revenue from vendors and benefit people. Vendors and police officials need to stop working in cahoots and the UT Administration should act against corrupt officials.

SANJAY CHOPRA, MOHALI

MC should conduct extensive patrolling

With each passing day the number of illegal street vendors increases. In utter disregard to safety norms, these vendors not only encroach upon roads and footpaths but also create public nuisance and are a security threat. This liberty of flouting the norms stems from the corruption in the police and MC departments. To curb this menace the MC authorities should provide licence to approved vendors and assign an area of operation. There should be extensive patrolling by the MC staff to ensure compliance and action should be taken against violators.

SS Arora,Mohali

Keep tabs on migrants

People, especially from Punjab and Haryana, living on Chandigarh’s periphery often come to the city to earn their livelihood by selling goods on illegal vends to city residents. However, officials ignore their responsibility of registering them as vendors in the city. As a result, these vendors have mushroomed in every nook and corner. The MC should register them and relocate them to suitable places that are accessible to shoppers and keep tabs on migrants.

Col BS Mathauda (retd), Chandigarh

Follow ‘Apni Mandi’ pattern for vendors

Encroachment of any kinds can distort the face of City Beautiful, but to deprive of anyone of their right to earn a livelihood is also unacceptable. Vendors should be allowed to carry on with their business and use sites on the pattern of ‘Apni Mandi’. Licences should be issued to them.

Surinder Paul Wadhwa, Mohali

Do proper survey of hawkers, vendors

Road and market corridors should be freed of hawkers and vendors’ encroachments and proper spaces should be allotted to them. Special zones should be constructed for vendors and they should be consulted. A proper survey of hawkers and vendors should be done to identify genuine sellers. Proper lighting, toilets and drinking water arrangement should be provided there.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

Admn should launch toll-free number

Although the authorities concerned have been successful in removing illegal encroachments from the city they spring up again because officials are hand in gloves with the vendors. The government should launch toll-free numbers and WhatsApp numbers through which people can send tip offs about any encroachments or corruption. Action should be initiated against the those officials who are found guilty.

Avinash goyal, Chandigarh

Buy from legal vendors only

We, as residents,have a duty towards authorised small vendors, who put up their shops in authorised zones. We must only buy from them and make their enterprise viable.

Vijay Shukla, Chandigarh

Take strict action against violators

The problem of illegal street vendors is because the authorities concerned lack the intent to take them on. Vendors should be marked and strict action should be taken against violators. Their Aadhar cards must be noted.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma

Question for next week

The UT has planned to boost tourism in the city with various projects, including a state-of-the-art convention centre, amusement park etc. What additional steps should the administration take to promote tourism?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com