Vendors’ fate hangs in balance

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 18

The draw of lots for allotting space to vendors has been postponed for an indefinite period as the UT Administration and the Municipal Corporation (MC) are yet to decide on the proposed 6’X5’ space to be provided to each vendor.

The draw of lots was earlier scheduled for April 17.

The MC has proposed to the Chief Architect, UT, to increase the space for vendors from the present 5’X3’ as the civic body drew flak for giving too less a space to vend. However, the architect is yet to receive the proposal.

The MC has also decided to take along councillors and traders as far as space for vendors in markets like Sector 19 and 22 is concerned.

A few day ago, traders at the Sector 19 market had shut their shops for the first half of the business day to protest against the MC for providing space to vendors right in front of their shops.

“We will take all stakeholders along in this regard. Vendors will be given a suitable space to do business,” said Anil Kumar Garg, Additional Commissioner, MC.

The civic body has already demarcated the 5’X3’ space for vendors in several sectors, including 22, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 38 and 39. Vendors have been paying monthly licence fee to the MC for the past over three months. Nearly 10,000 vendors have been enrolled with the civic body.

MC drive against encroachments

Chandigarh: The enforcement wing of the MC on Wednesday removed encroachments and illegal vendors from Sector 37 and 38 markets. A team of sub-inspectors from the MC enforcement wing illegal encroachments from outside the EWS houses and seized tables, chairs, almirahs etc. The drive was carried out peacefully and no untoward incident took place. TNS