Utter chaos in Sirsa markets as encroachments return

Markets in Sirsa city are facing major problems due to increasing encroachments. Traders have placed their goods 15 to 20 feet outside their shops, taking up space on roads and footpaths. This has made it difficult for both pedestrians and vehicles to move freely. Main market areas like Circular Road, Janata Bhawan Road, Rori Bazaar, Sadar Bazaar, Ekta Chowk, Hisaria Bazaar and Begu Road are severely affected by encroachments.

Street vendors with carts (rehris) also occupy public spaces. Many carts are owned by private contractors who rent these out to vendors and earn money from parkings on the public land. This not only blocks parking areas, but also leads to frequent traffic jams every day. The city’s Municipal Council (MC) has tried to remove encroachments through drives, but the problem remains unsolved. Shopkeepers quickly pile their goods outside their establishments once MC officials leave. Many traders refuse to follow rules as they have the support of local political and market leaders.

The issue has left residents frustrated as they want clean markets where they can shop safely without any hindrance in walking. Ironically, shopkeepers opine that displaying goods outside shops boosts their business, but in reality, it is turning their customers away.

Sirsa MLA Gokul Setia recently urged shopkeepers to cooperate and not block public spaces. After his appeal, civic body officials started a campaign to clear encroachments on roads, which worked briefly. But soon after, shopkeepers began protesting and the problem of encroachments returned to city markets.

To make matters worse, the situation has worsened in the absence of senior officials. The Municipal Council’s Executive Officer (EO) retired last month and the District Municipal Commissioner (DMC) is on leave. As there are no senior officials to manage affairs of the civic body, shopkeepers have become more confident and gone back to their old ways of violating norms.

At present, the extra charge of Sirsa’s MC has been given to the Dabwali EO, Surender Kumar, who said he could visit Sirsa only once a week due to his busy schedule. Most of his time is spent in attending meetings. He said at a recent meeting, it was decided that a special team would visit Sirsa markets next week to remove encroachments. He said, “I have also issued notices to sanitation staff and ordered them to improve cleanliness in the city.”