Remove encroachments, Phagwara SP tells MC

Phagwara, October 17

Advertisement

The Phagwara police have written to the Municipal Corporation to start removing encroachments in the town. Superintendent of Police Mukhtiar Rai said most of the shopkeepers had encroached upon the space in front of their shops, causing inconvenience to residents and hampering the vehicular traffic.

He said the police were prepared to provide complete security cover to MC authorities, but it was the duty of the latter to remove encroachments as several shopkeepers had extended their shops. MC Assistant Commissioner Ashish Kumar said teams would definitely act to remove encroachments to ensure smooth vehicular traffic in the town.

Besides encroachments in marketplaces, vehicles parked in a haphazard manner outside shops add to the woes of commuters and pedestrians. There are no footpaths in most markets and wherever they are, most of them are encroached.

Social activist Yogesh Parbhakar said though officials of the MC carried out inspections and seizes articles kept on roads, these had hardly acted as a deterrent. Main markets like Bazar Bansan Wala, Mahavir Bazar, Old Post Office Road, Gaushala Road, Mehli Gate, Sarafan Bazar, Purbian Mohalla, Subhash Nagar, Cinema Road, Sarai Road. Etc., had been reduced to narrow lanes due to encroachments and haphazardly parked vehicles.

Street vendors and rehris (carts), too, create nuisance on roads. Around 15-20 feet of space on both sides of roads during the daytime are encroached upon by vendors, leaving little space for two-wheelers to drive, leave alone movement of four-wheelers. Though there is a multi-storey parking facility provided by the Phagwara MC on Banga Road, it remains unutilised.

Police ready to assist

It is the duty of the MC to remove encroachments as several shopkeepers have extended their shops. The police are ready to extend all help to reclaim encroached upon spaces in markets. — Mukhtiar Rai, Phagwara SP

Will definitely act

We are aware of the situation prevailing in the markets and other public places. Our teams will definitely act to remove encroachments to ensure smooth vehicular traffic in the town. — Ashish Singh, MC Asst Commissioner