Mall Road is no-vendor zone

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan,December 5

District Magistrate Madan Chauhan today notified Mall Road here as no-vendor zone where no kiosks would be allowed. The move follows the constitution of a Vendor Policy by the local Municipal Committee where specific areas in the town are being identified as vendor and no-vendor zones.

The smooth movement of traffic has become a cause for concern for the administration in view of the several roadside kiosks operating on the Mall Road. A committee, headed by the ADM, Solan, was earlier constituted by the Deputy Commissioner to define the vendor and non-vendor areas in the town.

Executive Officer of the local Municipal Committee BR Negi, confirming the news, said they were in the process of registering the roadside vendors and 132 such vendors had come forward to get themselves registered. He said the Central grant as per the National Urban Livelihood Mission was available to rehabilitate such people.

He said various places had been identified in the town where these people could operate so that the traffic congestion on the prime places such as the Mall Road could be avoided.

Police officials have also decided to make Mall Road a no-traffic zone where parking of vehicles would not be allowed. It was observed that the presence of several banks and other business establishments had led to parking of several vehicles on the road which obstructed the smooth flow of traffic.

Since Mall Road has two schools the increasing traffic influx had become a cause for concern for the residents, too.

The declaration of the Mall Road as a non-vendor zone would bring some respite from the traffic congestion. It, however, remained to be seen how the no-parking policy would be regulated as traffic policemen would have to be present throughout the day to check the offenders, said a resident.