Civic body cracks whip on construction material sellers occupying city roads

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 4

The Municipal Corporation (MC) has cracked the whip against building material sellers, who occupied the roads by putting sand and gravels.

On the directions of Municipal Corporation Commissioner Sandeep Rishi, the Estate Department of the MC has started a drive against the illegal encroachments made by the sellers of building materials here yesterday. The traders of building materials, including sand, gravel, bricks, cement and iron bars, keep the material by occupying the streets, markets, footpaths and government land.

Some building material sellers have no godowns to store their material and are running the business by using government land. The illegal occupations can be seen on all the city roads and which further leads to traffic jams.

A team of MC led by Estate Officer Dharminderjit Singh has inspected Batala Road and seized sand lying on the government land. The team also seized three trolleys and one loading machine.

Dharminderjit Singh said the drive against illegal encroachments by the building material sellers would continue for the next some days. All the roads would be vacated from the encroachers.

It is worth mentioning here that the MC has received around Rs 19 crore under the clean air project. On the one hand the MC is working to reduce sand particles in the air but the heaps of sand on road causing air pollution under the nose of authorities. The level of dust in the air goes up considerably.

Narinder Singh, a local resident, said, “The use of roads for stacking construction material should not be allowed. The level of dust in the city is already so high that it is difficult for a two-wheeler rider to drive. Owners of buildings material should be held responsible for any violation of instructions.”

Not only air pollution, service lanes on Vallah Bypass and Jahajgarh area have been occupied by heaps of sand and gravel. It leave no passage for commuters. Residents demanded that the administration should clear roads encroached by shopkeepers selling construction material.

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