The Times of India 19.11.2013
LMC relocates 200 Udayganj vendors
LUCKNOW: After removing encroachments from Aminabad roads following high court order, Lucknow Nagar Nigam is now eyeing the encroachment in marketplace near Cantonment road in Udayganj area. LMC removed more than 200 shops from under the flyover and roadsides of Udayganj.
The locals had earlier complained about rampant encroachments by vendors on roadsides which caused major traffic jams for hours in the area. People faced a lot of problems while moving towards the Cantonment area. Subsequently, nagar nigam launched a drive on Monday to evict all street vendors from the road.
Officials said vendors had occupied space up to the middle of road, leaving very little or no space for commuters. The condition was worse on Saturdays when a large weekly market used to occupy the place. The zonal officer along with the tax superintendant met the vendors' association and warned them to relocate their market to some other place.
The commissioner has instructed officials to relocate the evicted vendors to a nagar nigam land in the vicinity of Ramleela ground. These vendors need to be placed in 1x1 metre space each on this ground. "We have instructed them to reloacte to that ground and restrict trading activities within the prescribed limits," said Shridhar Yadav, tax superintendent, LMC.
In the court order, nagar nigam has been directed to remove encroachments from any street less than 8 metre wide and allow vending on only one side of the road. The court also mandates the LMC to reloacte the vendors to some alternative location. Following the same principle, nagar nigam raided the Udaygunj area and evicted 200 vendors. Shops of those who were resisting leaving the site were seized during the drive.
A few days ago, responding to the petition filed by permanent shopkeepers of Aminabad complaining of encroachments on streets, the court had asked the nagar nigam to remove vendors from Aminabad streets and report it to the court. Nagar nigam accordingly removed 256 vendors from Aminabad. The court had also asked them to take severe action against shopkeepers who had illegally built parapets or basements without taking permission from local authorities.
Hence, nagar nigam started a survey to measure shops of prominent markets in Aminabad. It found illegal basements in 229 shops out of 335 in Mohan market, and 29 illegal basements in the fruit mandi out of the existing 58 shops. It had also started inspection of Gadbadjhala market on Saturday which was completed on Monday. It has 210 shops in total out of which LMC found illegal basements in around 33 shops. Around 13 more shops had built illegal parapets.
Officials said they would take legal action against the offenders as soon as the municipal commissioner verifies their inspection. The offenders are being issued notices to demolish illegal extensions in their shops, or else pay penalty on it accrued over past 15 years on the current circle rate. If they fail to do so, their allotment may be canceled, warned the officials.
Additional municipal commissioner, Vishal Bharadwaj said, "We are waiting for the views of ward and town level vending committee on the relocation issues of vendors. Vending policy is already in place but we needed a recent survey on the number and type of vendors. I believe, the survey is compete in major markets of the city."
The survey would reveal the actual number of vendors in Lucknow who need to be provided a permanent place for vending. "Only after the survey, we would be able to know which zones would be considered vending zones and vice-versa", added Bharadwaj. LMC will target major markets like on Latouche Road, Mahatma Gandhi Marg towards Charbagh, Lalbagh area, etc.
restrict themselves in 1X1 metre space each leaving ample space for movement on road. The remaining vendors have been asked to remove their permanent shops.
