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Tribune News Service
Shimla, October 18
Thousands of street vendors have illegally occupied various parts of the city. They have slowly and gradually encroached upon every nook and corner, yet the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) is acting as a mute spectator.
“All talks of creating non-vending zones are a farce. There is no space to walk. Almost all markets and footpaths have been occupied by these vendors. One avoids taking Cart Road, one of the busiest stretches of the city, because of congestion,” a resident said.
“In 2015, the High Court had directed the SMC to remove all encroachments in markets. The civic body did carry out a drive, but soon things were back to square one,” another resident said.
The situation is worse at the Lower and Middle Bazaars, Ganj, Lakkar Bazaar, streets, narrow lanes, tunnels, Ripon hospital, IGMC and Kali Bari road. The vendors have not spared even the The Mall near the Lift. It is learnt that some owners have rented out space outside their shops to vendors. Most of these vendors have come from Saharanpur, Bihar and Haryana.
“The SMC’s decision to fix the number of street vendors at 1,067 has hardly brought about any change,” a local said. Other places encroached upon by vendors are the ISBT, New Shimla, Khalini, BCS, Sanjauli, Dhalli, Chhota Shimla, Kasumpati, Panthaghati, Bhattakufer, Malyana and Boileauganj. “In case, any vendor is found sitting in front of a shop, the shopkeeper is to be held accountable. If the vendor does not listen to the shopkeeper, he can report it to the SMC,” said an SMC official.
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