Indian Express 21.06.2010
Encroachment on market corridors leave little room for shoppers
Express News Service Tags : encroachment, market Posted: Mon Jun 21 2010, 03:57 hrs
Chandigarh: Vendors selling trinkets, shop owners displaying goods and little space to walk. This is the scene at most markets of the city with encroachments in corridors.It is common to find vendors selling their products in the corridors. From jewellery to posters and clothes all kinds of products are available.
As soon as teams from Municipal Corporation come to remove the encroachers, they manage to pick up their goods and run. “The shop owners try to use all tactics to grab the attention of customers,” says Mini Singh, a local resident.
“it is impossible to walk in the corridors without the vendors trying to sell their products to you. Shop owners, too, display their goods in the corridors, outside the shops,” Singh added. Colourful clothes, attractive toys and fancy shoes are kept outside the showrooms to attract the customer.
Another resident, Vikram Ahuja, says there is a need for stricter enforcement of laws. The corridors should be left vacant for people to walk. At times it becomes very cumbersome to shop with no space in the corridors.Not only the main markets, corridors in the rehri markets in Sector 22, 19 and 15 are also encroached upon leaving little space in the already congested markets.
Apart from causing inconvenience to the residents, it is also dangerous. In case of an emergency there is little or no space to move out of the markets.
The civic body recently held a mock drill in the Shastri Market, Sector 22, to create awareness among the shop owners. The plea of the owners to let them display the goods in the corridors has also been turned down.
An MC official says that though checks were conducted at regular intervals, there is a need for the shop owners to cooperate for which awareness drives are being held.
