Festival season: MC, police and public representatives appeal old city market associations to stop encroachments to avoid action 

Ludhiana, October 14, 2023: In a bid to reduce traffic jams and stop encroachments during the festival season especially in the old city areas, Municipal Corporation (MC), police department and public representatives conducted a meeting with old city market associations in Chaura Bazar on Saturday.

During the meeting, members of different market associations were urged to stop the shopkeepers in their respective markets from encroaching upon the road portions as this leads to traffic jams.
 
Ludhiana Central MLA Ashok Prashar Pappi's representative, former councillor Rakesh Prashar and Ludhiana North MLA Madan Lal Bagga's representative Aman Bagga also participated in the meeting. MC Zonal Commissioner Neeraj Jain, DSP (MC police wing) Raj Kumar Chaudhary, SHO Kotwali, Gaganpreet Singh among other officials also participated in the meeting.

Members of around 30 old city market associations including Chaura Bazar market association, Akalgarh market association, Karimpura Bazar market association, Gandhi Nagar market association, Field Ganj market associations etc participated in the meeting and gave a positive response to the initiative taken by the MC and police department during the festival season.

Members of different market associations including Shiv Kumar Sharma from Chaura Bazar, Harpreet Singh Makkar from Niggar Mandi, Manpreet Singh Bunty from Akalgarh market, Neeraj Ahuja from Gandhi Nagar market, Bittu Gumber among others also appealed the shopkeepers to stop encroaching upon the road portions.
      
Members of all the market associations also demanded restrictions on the movement of e-rickshaws in Chaura Bazar and adjoining areas and deployment of traffic police personnel at different points. Responding to this demand of shopkeepers, the police department was directed to explore options and impose restrictions, if necessary. 

MC Zonal Commissioner (Zone A), Neeraj Jain stated that the initiative to hold meetings with market associations has been taken on the directions of MC Commissioner Sandeep Rishi. 

Jain stated that stopping encroachments in the market area will also benefit the shopkeepers. Encroachments lead to traffic jams and affect the customer footfall in the market. Also encroachments hit the movement of fire brigade and other emergency services. Jain stated that the shopkeepers should themselves stop encroachments otherwise the civic body and police would be forced to act against the violators. More such meetings would be held in the coming time to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

Appealing to the shopkeepers to discourage encroachments, Rakesh Prashar and Aman Bagga stated that it is for their own benefit as it will result in less traffic jams in the markets.

Prashar and Bagga further appreciated the market associations for stepping forward to find a solution for the problem. They also directed the authorities to form a committee with members of different market associations as members and hold meetings to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the markets. 

The suggestions given by the market associations should also be incorporated so that the shopkeepers should also ot face any trouble and things are done amicably, they added.