Traders fail to vacate stalls 3 days after Shoolini fair

Ambika Sharma

Solan, June 26

Three days after the completion of the state-level Shoolini fair, traders who had set up stalls along the roads have failed to vacate the area. This has been causing traffic jams as stalls have been set up on both sides of the roads. Selling a variety of food items, clothing, home furnishings, plastic wares, kitchen items, cosmetics etc these stalls had encroached upon the road from the old DC office to Kotla Nullah. Since vehicular traffic is restricted on this road during the fair, the stalls do not cause disruptions in traffic and can operate with ease.

Stalls are auctioned every year during the Shoolini fair. Though it fetches the civic body some income, the lack of timely action to remove these has emboldened traders.

Drivers suffered on the old DC office-Kotla Nullah road but pedestrians were especially inconvenienced as they jostled for space while walking. Traffic police had a hard time trying to regulate the vehicles on the left-out narrow stretch of the road.

People visiting the city found it difficult to park their vehicles as every nook and corner was occupied by traders. Even approaches to some offices were blocked by the stalls.

Though a team of municipal corporation staff and policemen directed the traders to vacate their stalls within an hour, it had limited effect on the adamant traders who did not budge. Since residents, too, evinced keen interest in the stalls, the traders utilised the opportunity to make a quick buck much to the discomfort of the local traders whose business suffered.

“The traders should be charged for the three extra days as they earned at the cost of the common man’s convenience. Since all offices were opened today after a three-day holiday, those visiting the city for work faced problems in negotiating traffic on this stretch,” said Ajay, a visitor to Solan city.

Notably, this is not a new norm and it has been observed that every year these traders continue to encroach upon the road days after the fair is over due to lax attitude of the administration.

Though the police announced to issue challans ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 it had a limited effect and stall owners were seen carrying out merely cosmetic exercise to remove their wares, while continuing to sell their wares.