SMC starts identification process to serve notices on encroachers
Sameer Singh
Shimla, June 1
Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) has started the process (identification) to serve notices on hawkers and shopkeepers who have encroached areas in different parts of the city after a High Court direction for the same. Earlier, the corporation had been issuing challans and removed more than one hundred encroachments in the city.
The encroachments and projections were recently removed from Mall Road, Lower Bazaar and Sanjauli areas by Shimla MC after which a few hawkers had disrupted the anti-encroachment drive. Later, High Court, in an order, directed the Shimla MC to follow the proper legal process and issue notices to the encroachers and relocate them to a different site.
Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ashish Kohli said, “We are in the process of identifying hawkers or shops which have encroached upon more space than what was allotted to them originally. After High Court’s direction, we will be issuing notices to the encroachers and as per the provisions of Street Vendors Act, these hawkers or shops would be relocated to a place at Sabzi Mandi area. If encroachers remain reluctant on relocation and continue to encroach upon the area, then after 30 days (from notice issuing date), we will start penalising them as per law.”
It has been observed that not only these encroachments make it difficult for pedestrians to walk but also pose hindrance in the way of fire brigade vehicle and ambulances.
Amar Chand, Superintendent, Estate wing of MC, said, “We are scrutinising the records in office and also going out in the field to identify encroachers and so far 70 such hawkers or shops have been identified in Lower Bazaar area alone. We had removed 103 encroachments from three different areas in the city before the anti-encroachment drive was disrupted by some hawkers.”
“After the court’s orders, we have got the additional police force to conduct the drive in a smooth manner. We are also expecting full co-operation from tehbazari and beopar mandal members in conducting the drive in a hassle-free manner,” he added.
