Owners object to earmarking of vending sites near booths

Sanjay Bumbroo
Tribune News Service
Panchkula, December 9

Earmarking of vending zones in various markets of the city by the Panchkula Municipal Corporation (MC) has caused resentment among booth owners. They have urged the authorities concerned to shift vending sites.

According to sources not only booth owners but officials of the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) had also asked the MC authorities to shift vending sites set up by the civic body near offices of the HSVP in Sector 8.

Officials of the HSVP had stated that shifting of vendors near their offices would lead to chaos as large number of people visited their offices daily.

Officials of the HSVP on Monday informed the MC that they would uproot grills installed for the vending zone, the sources added. However, in reversion officials of the MC stated that the space was allocated by the HSVP itself and for removing any grill they had to seek permission from the civic body, the sources added.

Shopkeepers in Sector 8 and Sector 15 had also objected to earmarking of the vending zone near their shops. They said this would affect their business.

Meanwhile, the MC had already started digging work at the parking site in Sector 8 market to install grills, but when shopkeepers and general public raised objection the contractor stopped work.

The MC Executive Officer, Jarnail Singh, said, “We are receiving objections for earmarking sites, but the space is allocated by the HSVP. We are only creating vending zones for vendors.”

In the first phase, 850 sites were allocated by the HSVP for vending zones at various markets in the city, he added.

“The process to earmark vending sites has already started,” he said while adding, “These sites will be allocated within a month to vendors.”