Commuters face trouble as MC fails to check encroachments

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 28

Years on, the administration has failed to find a solution to traffic woes in old city areas.

Woes not resolved despite meetings

Despite several meetings of the police and municipal corporation with old city market associations, nothing fruitful came out of these. During a visit to old city areas, it was observed that many shopkeepers encroached parts of the road. Besides, roadside vendors were seen putting up their makeshift vends on the road.

Especially the situation at Clock Tower and the Chaura Bazaar has been worsening with each passing day. Despite several meetings of the police and municipal corporation with old city market associations, nothing fruitful came out of these.

Commuters have been facing inconvenience due to traffic hurdles being caused by encroachments by shopkeepers and roadside vendors.

During visit to the old city areas, it was observed that many shopkeepers encroached parts of the road. Besides, roadside vendors selling eatables, clothes and other items put up their makeshift vends on the road, hence turning wide roads of the old city areas into narrow ones, leaving commuters to face issues. Especially on Sunday, the Sunday Market in Chaura Bazaar turns a headache for motorists commuting through the area.

“There is so much mess in the Chaura Bazaar that if we one enter the place on a two-wheeler or four- wheeler, we cannot pass through the road without facing traffic bottlenecks. If one wants to reach the Police Division 3 chowk by crossing the bazaar, you may end up covering only around two-km distance in 30 minutes. Sometimes, it takes one hour,” said Amit Mahajan, a resident of the Railway Road area.

Another resident Gurvir Singh said he did not hold traffic police responsible for the mess rather the corporation should be held responsible as it was the duty of the civic body to check encroachments on roads by shopkeepers or vendors.”

The old city areas have various markets, which are even visited by people from neighbouring districts and states. The administration must find out some solution so that commuters did not face any issue, he said.

“Traffic hurdles are causing dip in the footfall of customers in the markets as people visiting these places on their vehicles, especially four-wheelers, fail to get space for parking their vehicles outside shops. Hence, they prefer to visit other markets where they get ample parking space,” said a shopkeeper dealing in garments.

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