Underground bin project shut to make way for 13 vendors

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 26

The local Municipal Corporation has shut the city’s pilot project of underground bins for adjusting a few vendors in Sector 22.

Shockingly, the underground bins were removed as garbage from it could not be lifted and the MC could not repair its broken hydraulic chain.

Local councillor and Senior Deputy Mayor Ravi Kant Sharma said, “Garbage was lying in the underground bins for a year and a half and was not lifted. Its hydraulic system is not working. And we had to adjust the remaining 13 vendors; so this site has been created.”

It was built by sanitation firm Lion Services as part of its corporate social responsibility programme and started operations in 2018. At the time of its inauguration, councillors had said more such bins would be opened in the city, but the one opened as a pilot project itself has been removed.

The bin has a capacity of one tonne and is emptied with a hydraulic system. “It was given by the company. Now, it is the job of the corporation to run and maintain it,” said a company representative.

The length of the road in front of Shastri Market has also been shortened to make vendors sit there. The MC is looking at adjusting 100-150 more vendors in Sector 22. About 40 more vendors are also being planned to be shifted to Sector 19.

“An MC committee formed to identify more vending sites is looking for sites in these two sectors. Its report will be tabled before the Town and Vending Committee for approval,” said an official.

A total of 97 registered vendors were allowed to carry out vending in Sector 22. While in Sector 19, 32 registered vendors were allowed to operate. Other vendors from these two sectors were shifted to Sector 15 and southern sectors.

Many of them had not taken the possession of the sites and some of them will be shifted here. It will also bring down the number of registered vendors sitting in Sector 15.

The councillor said it had been proposed to make space for 100-150 more vendors. Councillor Asha Jaswal said 40 more vendors would be adjusted in Sector 19 near Sehaj Safai Kendra and near Verka booth.

“This is being done to adjust those who have been sitting in this market for 20-30 years and have been given spaces in far-off places like Sector 15 and 49. The Vendors Act is ultimately for the protection of livelihood of vendors,” said the former Mayor.