Vends outside Kali Mata temple removed

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

Patiala, October 30

The vends outside the Kali Mata temple opposite to Omaxe Mall were removed on Wednesday during an anti-encroachment drive carried out following the Deputy Commissioner’s orders. 

While the hawkers raised concern they were not served any notice before the orders, the administration said, the encroachment was removed to ease traffic on the road.

Sub-divisional Magistrate, Patiala, Ravinder Singh Arora directed those running shop at the site to remove them. Later through a press note, he said, “The site has been cleared for the benefit of the commuters on the road and those visiting the temple. They have been removed through mutual consent.”

Meanwhile, Ravi, one of the hawkers, said he has been working at the site since childhood. “The whole footpath by the side of the road is covered with hawkers during the Navratri festival. Over 250 families have been working here since long. Now we will have to shift our shops somewhere else.”

Another youngster added, “Some of the boys earned Rs 400 per day. They have rendered all of us jobless without serving us any notice.”

 While their leaders could not be contacted, a number of women raised slogans. 

The permanently setup shops have been a major reason behind encroachment on the road. The road is usually closed due to vehicular traffic during the Navratri festival as street vendors from other areas also come and encroach upon the footpath while devotees throng the temple in large numbers.

Meanwhile, those visiting nearby mall welcomed the step. “The encroachment should have been removed long ago. It unnecessarily congested the road and at times ambulances also used to get stuck in traffic here.” 

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kumar Amit said, after this, the traffic issues on the road will remain in check. The SDM added that similar encroachments on the other side of the road will be removed with mutual consent in a day or two. 

He said, “No notice was served because the removal was done through mutual consent.”