460 stalls in Sector 19 open invite to Covid?

Sandeep Rana
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 9

With the MC allowing 460 stalls in the Sector 19 market alone, the possibility of a spike in Covid cases looms large ahead of Diwali.

As the civic body failed to mark slots for shopkeepers and vendors for setting up stalls, the market witnessed a huge crowd yesterday. Though the situation improved today, the city is likely to be more vulnerable to the spread of Covid in the coming days. In the absence of specified spots for vendors, they were seen rushing to occupy prime locations, triggering chaos.

According to experts, the city may witness a second Covid wave in the winter season and the situation in the market could further lead to a rise in the number of cases.

“This market is already congested. There is no or little space for visitors to park their vehicles. Vendors should not have been allowed in congested markets. Instead, they should have been spread across various sectors. Neither are vendors tested for Covid nor are any norms followed. Who will be responsible if there is a surge in Covid cases?” lamented RK Garg, president, Second Innings Association.

MC Joint Commissioner Sorabh Arora, however, claimed, “There were some problems yesterday, but now, we have set the system right. We have also sought assistance from the police.”

MC sources said vendors, who used to sit in Sector 15, 17 and 22, were now opting for Sector 19 as there were limited vending areas in Sector 17 and 22 in line with the High Court’s directions. They said the next time, stalls would be rationalised beforehand.

Vendors said the crowd in the market was little as compared to last year. They said they feared huge losses this season.

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