No stopping encroachments in city’s Chaura Bazar

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 30

Temporary and permanent encroachments in Chaura Bazar have made it extremely difficult for commuters to move about in the bazaar.

Even pedestrians have to jostle for space as half of the road is blocked with temporary and permanent encroachments.

A complaint regarding this has been filed by RTI activist Rohit Sabharwal to the Chief Secretary Local Bodies. The complaint mentions that the MC has failed to adhere to the directions of the High Court to remove temporary encroachments.

Sabharwal said following the contempt of court petition 27 of 2013, adhering to court’s directions, the temporary encroachments were removed and an affidavit regarding this was filed by the MC on January 15, 2016. The then Commissioner GK Singh, too, issued ordered in writing that the parking of vehicles, deposit of stool, chair, rehris and other movable articles, including dummies, were strictly prohibited in Chaura Bazar.

Sabharwal said the municipal authorities have failed to maintain the status of the encroachments that were removed as these temporary encroachments have cropped up again. One can easily see encroachments over the road from Girja Garh Chowk to Ghas Mandi Chowk of the Chaura Bazar, he said.

These encroachments are well in the knowledge of the municipal authorities, but they do not bother to take any definite steps to make the area encroachment free. Sabharwal said it was a routine affair, as whenever the municipal authorities remove encroachments, these crop up as soon as the officials leave.