Bhopal: The administration has given one week deadline to traders for removing encroachments voluntarily from market areas or face consequences. Mayor along with other top administrative bosses of the state capital walked down the lanes of the busiest markets here to get first-hand knowledge of the encroachments in the area.
In a joint drive, Mayor Alok Sharma, divisional commissioner Ajatshatru Srivastava, collector Sudam Khade, SSP Yogesh Chaudhary, visited areas like Chowk Bazaar and New Market on Friday. They held talks with the traders and gave a patient hearing to the problems put forth by them. The officials asked the shopkeepers to clear the encroachments and also to convince others. Complaining about the haphazard parking, the shopkeepers told the administrative officials that if parking system is streamlined, encroachment problem could be solved to a great extent. The traders said they were ready to clear the encroachment, but asked the authorities to address the parking woes plaguing the marker areas of the city.
Divisional commissioner Ajatshatru told traders the initiatives being taken to give heritage look to Chowk Bazaar area and stated that it would not be possible without their cooperation and support of the public. Seeking shopkeepers’ cooperation the Mayor said, “encroachment at Chowk Bazaar has left very bad impression and now since we are developing it into a heritage market, traders should come forward and cooperate.”
Small traders who run their business in front of closed shops, said told the authorities that they Rs 150 to Rs 250 to shopkeepers to run business in from of their shops. While others, who displayed their stuff outside the shops said that they were merely following other traders.
During the visit to the New Marker, Sharma rued that due to encroachments 33 feet wide road has been reduced down to just 4-5 feet and is causing a lot of inconvenience to the visitors. One week time has been given to traders to remove the encroachment, otherwise, action would be taken, Mayor added.
