Four major roads in Karnal city declared no-vending zones

With an aim to ease traffic congestion, the Karnal Municipal Corporation (KMC) has declared four major roads of the city as no-vending zones, prohibiting street vendors from setting up stalls, carts, or makeshift shops on these roads, footpaths, or pavements.

The step has been initiated on the instructions of the Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh, who directed this while chairing a Road Safety Committee meeting in December. Vendors will also be shifted to different vending zones, for which the MC has identified four to five locations.

“To streamline traffic flow on roads, we have declared four major roads as no-vending zones. Vendors will not be allowed to set up their carts, stalls, or kiosks along these roads. We are going to develop different vending zones where the vendors will be allowed to set up stalls,” said Dr Vaishali Sharma, Commissioner, MC.

Maharaja Agrasen Chowk to Shrimad Bhagavad Gita Dwar, which was developed as a Smart City and has become a hub of street vendors, is among these four roads. Besides, Mall road, a road between Committee Chowk to Ranbir Hooda Chowk, Karna Canal, and a road between ITI Chowk and Sector 9 have been declared as no-vending zones, said the Commissioner.

The decision has been taken keeping public convenience in mind, said Sharma. She said sanitary staff has been appointed to check and monitor these roads and penalties are being imposed on the violators. “Sanitary inspectors and supervisors of the areas concerned have been assigned with the task of ensuring strict adherence to these orders, preventing any vending activities on the specified roads,” the Commissioner added.

Municipal officials have been directed to enforce the no-vending zone rules rigorously. Sharma warned that if any carts or stalls were found on these roads, the cleanliness inspector and supervisor concerned would be held accountable.

Flex boards displaying warning and indicating no-vending zone have also been installed, she added.

Sharma appealed to all street vendors to respect rules and avoid setting up their stalls along the designated roadsides, footpaths or pavements.