Muddy roads, heaps of rotten vegetables raise a stink at Sector 26 mandi in Chandigarh

Stinking garbage heaps, muddy roads and encroachments welcome visitors to the fruit and vegetable mandi in Sector 26.

Despite the Administration’s tall claims, sanitation at the market has remained poor over the years. Rakesh Kumar, a regular visitor, said, “The stench of the garbage is severe during the monsoon. It has become unbearable. The market committee should put in extra efforts to ensure cleanliness.”

Residents of Sector 26 Police Lines also complained about the foul smell emanating from the heaps of garbage lying around the market.

Mohit Sood, president of the Grain Market Welfare Association, said the market lacked a proper planning. “All departments are passing on their responsibilities. There is also no clarity on who is responsible for its upkeep.”

On a representation of the association, the Deputy Commissioner’s office had sought a clarification regarding responsibility and control of the grain market land from the chief engineers of the Municipal Corporation (MC) and the UT Administration. However, no information has been provided so far, he added.

Sood said while they were paying commercial property tax and garbage charges to the civic body, they were not being providing any facility.

The MC officials, meanwhile, said the area did not fall under their jurisdiction.

Amid the continued apathy, the market road, street lights and other infrastructure has also deteriorated to a point where it is unusable.

Raj Kumar Bansal, chairperson of the market association, said the roads are in a pathetic state. “The condition deteriorates in the rainy season. The market is already crammed, with vendors encroaching upon every inch of the mandi and muddy roads make it impossible to move. Besides, there is no proper space for parking vehicles.”

A delegation of the Chandigarh Beopar Mandal recently met Agriculture Department Secretary Hari Kallikat to discuss the deteriorating state of the market. The organisation’s president Sanjeev Chadda said they raised the issues of sanitation and illegal encroachments.

When contacted, Paviter Singh, Market Committee Administrator, said they would soon have enforcement and powers to seize goods from illegal vendors. “The bylaws are in the final stage. Once notified, it will solve the problems of the illegal vendors,” he added.

He would look into the sanitation problems, he said, while adding that road repairs will also begin after clarification over the land ownership.

Shifting of market hanging fire

The UT Administration has failed to act on its plan to shift the Sector 26 mandi to the New Grain Market in Sector 39 for the past 30 years. The project was first conceptualised in 1996. In 2009, the Administration decided to construct a Modern Terminal Market instead, but scrapped that plan as well. Efforts to shift the market were renewed in recent years, but the Supreme Court, while hearing a petition by the Sabzi Mandi Arhtiya Association and a few traders, in April stayed e-auction of 23 fruit and vegetable shops at the Sector-39 market.