Encroachments galore in Ludhiana markets

The festival season is here and so are encroachments. City’s main markets are chock-a-block as shopkeepers and vendors have displayed their items outside their shops by encroaching upon roads, giving a tough time to commuters.

Encroachments can be seen in several markets, both in old and new city areas. Markets at Jawahar Nagar, Daresi Ground, Civil Lines, Field Ganj, Model Town, Ghumar Mandi and BRS Nagar are witnessing a chaotic situation due to encroachments. Every market is witnessing traffic snarls and parking woes.

With Diwali approaching near, traders have put stalls outside their shops for displaying their articles due to which little space is left for vehicular traffic and almost no space for parking.

Harpreet Kaur, who came to Ghumar Mandi for shopping, said the situation becomes a complete mess during festivals. “One can see mehndi and Karwa Chauth stalls on roads and there is hardly any space left for parking vehicles. I went to a shop to buy some items for my son and when I returned, the traffic police had towed away my car. Where is space to park vehicles? No action is being taken against encroachers. If commuters find no space for parking their vehicles it’s not their fault. Markets should be constructed with proper parking space and if space is not available, it is the fault of the government and not people,” she said.

Rupinder Singh, a resident of Sarabha Nagar, said: “I had gone to the BRS Nagar market a few days ago and it was a complete mess there. The civic body should either act against such encroachments or come up with alternative parking arrangements.”

Shopkeepers at the Jawar Nagar Camp market have put up tents outside their shops to display goods. “The situation in the market is pathetic as tents have been put up outside shops. I don’t know whether they have got permission for the same or doing it on their own,” said a buyer at the market.

A similar situation is witnessed at a market around Daresi Ground where shopkeepers have displayed their items outside, giving little space for pedestrians and motorists. Many makeshift shops have come up to sell various items due to the ongoing festival season.

A senior official from the Municipal Corporation said it was not allowed to encroach roads and awareness would be created among shopkeepers for following the norms. The tehbazari wing would be keeping a regular check on encroachers in market areas.