Who will clear Jalandhar roads?
Festive season is here, so are the encroachments on roads and the consequent ‘never-ending’ traffic jams in the city.
The Jyoti Chowk, Saidan Gate near Milap Chowk, Rainak Bazar, Nakodar Road, Phagwara Gate, Partap Bagh, Guru Nanak Pura Market, Shekha Bazar, Shastri market and the Kishanpura market witness maximum encroachments during these days ahead of Diwali.
One can see vendors selling various items, dry fruits, sweets, furniture, and other stuff on the roadsides. As much as these items attract visitors, these also lead to congestion and bottlenecks.
We have been visiting these areas and asking vendors to cooperate with us. Anti-encroachment drives have already started in the city. But at this point, we cannot even go hard on vendors because of the festive season. — Ashwani Gill, Tehbazari Superintendent
The employees of the Tehbazari Department of the Municipal Corporation claim that they are visiting these areas and ensuring that the vendors and shopkeepers don’t encroach upon the road.
A team of the Municipal Corporation today paid a visit to the Avtar Nagar road and seized material.
An MC employee said that an anti-encroachment drive was being carried out in the city, especially these days to assure the smooth flow of vehicles.
Commuters said travelling by two-wheelers was slightly easier, but travelling in cars had become very difficult due to the congestion.
“It becomes difficult for people to reach their destination on time. At times, it takes hours to navigate through traffic jams. In the evening, the rush increases further as people come out to buy things. It often leads to quarrels, creating an uncomfortable environment amid the festival season,” said one of the commuters.
“Everyone knows how tricky it gets. Encroachments create several problems for the common public. But, the situation gets worse during the festive season. These days, I usually get very late to reach the office,” said Anmol Sharma, who is working in a private firm.
The Rama Mandi area generally gets blocked during the festival season, but this time, we have ensured that things remain under control. Besides, there are 17 ‘no-tolerance zones’ in the city, and we are going to add eight more to the list. — Rashminder Singh, Inspector and traffic in-charge
