Vendors scuttle drive to remove encroachments

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 20

Roadside vendors in Chaura Bazaar on Tuesday had heated arguments with officials of the Kotwali police station when the latter came to ask them to clear encroachments on roads. The police had to return without accomplishing the task.

Rubal Dhall, president of the Pink Plaza market in Chaura Bazaar, alleged despite the request to the police, the latter failed to remove the encroachments . Now, to put pressure on the police and MC authorities, they met Ludhiana Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu, who assured them of sorting out their issue.

“On Tuesday we organised a dharna in Chaura Bazaar demanding the removal of encroachments due to which traffic on the roads remained jammed and business of Pink Plaza market shopkeepers suffered. The Kotwali SHO gave us assurance but he failed to fulfil his promise,” Dhall alleged.

The police officials who went to remove the encroachments said they had gone to ask the roadside vendors to clear the road as it caused a lot of traffic snarls but they misbehaved with them and exchanged heated arguments.