Gurugram: Encroachments, poor infra plague Sector 46 Huda market

Encroachments in the Sector 46 market in Gurugram have become a major nuisance, with unauthorised vendors occupying corridors, footpaths, market lanes, green belts and parking areas.

Commonly known as the HUDA market, it is the largest market in Gurugram, originally developed by the erstwhile Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA). The market consists of 29 SCOs, 100 double-storey shops and over 70 booths. Although developed between 2008 and 2009, it only became operational in 2011-2012. Currently maintained by the Haryana Shahri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), the market is yet to be handed over to the local municipal corporation.

Visitors to the market face significant challenges in parking their vehicles and navigating through the corridors, which are often obstructed. Some food joints have placed chairs and tables in the corridors, further complicating pedestrian movement. This has become a constant issue for those trying to pass through.

It is estimated that there are more than 100 unauthorised vendors, including fruit and vegetable sellers, footwear and clothing vendors, cosmetics sellers and fast-food stalls.

Ashok Kumar, secretary of the Residents’ Welfare Association of Jal Vihar, Sector 46, said, “The number of unauthorised vendors is increasing day by day, with no intervention from HSVP or civic authorities.”

Vikas Mehta, an executive member of the market association, expressed frustration over the lack of action, stating, “Shopkeepers are losing business to these vendors, yet no one is addressing their grievances. We have lodged hundreds of complaints through the CM window, with HSVP authorities, and with senior officials in the district administration, but everyone has turned a blind eye to our problems.”

Shopkeepers like Anil Kumar and Mukesh Kumar questioned the fairness of the situation, stating, “What is our fault? We pay all kinds of taxes and still lose business.”

Some shopkeepers revealed that a few local “goons” illegally collect money from unauthorised vendors, charging between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 per month as rent.

For local residents, the problem worsens in the evenings, with hundreds of vehicles flooding the market, blocking lanes as parking spaces are occupied by food stalls and other vendors. During festivals and rains, traffic congestion becomes even worse, with some visitors taking up to an hour to exit the market in their cars.

The condition of the market’s lanes is also deteriorating, with potholes often filled with water, making it difficult for pedestrians to pass without dirtying their shoes and clothes during rains.

The market has only one toilet, which has reportedly been “captured” by a person with the help of local “goons”. This person controls access to the toilet, opening and closing it at their convenience and charging visitors for use, despite its unhygienic condition.Garbage is frequently dumped in lanes and open spaces, with few dustbins provided by the civic authorities.HSVP Estate Officer Belina Rani said she would form teams of assistant executive engineers and junior engineers to remove the encroachments from the market. “We will launch a special campaign to restore the market’s original condition,” she said.