Law garden Khau Galli no more
As part of the crackdown on traffic menace, the AMC on Wednesday carried out anti-encroachment drive at the Law Garden Khau Galli and cleared the entire 250-metre stretch of illegal food stalls. Till evening, AMC officials had razed 39 stalls and seized 1,000 chairs and 250 tables.
The AMC team, along with police security cover, reached the spot early on Wednesday morning and sealed the road from both the ends before starting to raze down illegal structures. Stall owners, who usually start catering in the evening, arrived at the spot and raised slogans against the AMC.
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It may be noted that this is not the first time that the food stalls at the spot have been removed or demolished. In 2001, a similar exercise was carried out but widespread protests by vendors ensured that they returned in no time.
AMC commissioner justifies action
Talking to Mirror, Municipal Commissioner Vijay Nehra said, “It was both an antiencroachment as well as traffic control drive and we are working in accordance with the HC directions in the matter. It was brought to my notice that most of the food stalls at Law Garden were illegal. Neither did the vendors have any space allotted to them nor did they pay any levy or charge to the AMC. We will continue with the drive on all major roads of the city so that footpath and paid parking facilities can be built. We also plan to develop such markets with due process of law, in a transparent manner. The question of providing them an alternate space to run the stalls does not arise as they had illegally occupied the area.”
When asked how the AMC will prevent the vendors from returning, he said, “We will have a policy driven approach.”
Vendors lodge protest
Satish Patel, who presided over Law Garden Khani Pini Bajar Association for 25 years as President, said, “On Wednesday morning AMC officials blocked the road from both the sides and started demolishing the structures. The stalls, many of which had cash inside, were removed. We have been lent a big blow and each of the food stall owner is now jobless.”
The association has planned to hold protests to put across their point. Owner of Delight Pav Bhaji Sharda Labana fainted and had to be shifted to hospital for treatment. Binita Thakore, whose food stall Rasraj Bhaji Pav was also seized, said: “Shardaben requested AMC officials to allow her pick up utensils and other belongings but officials did not relent. She blacked out due to shock of losing everything.”
Thakore added, “We were not given any notice. We ensured that two-wheelers are parked properly along the lane while refusing fourwheelers to park. Officials did not listen to our pleas.
Today’s action has made around 100 stall owners jobless. Each of them did a business of at least Rs 1 lakh per month.”
Ramesh Borana, who ran makeshift food stall outside GLS, said, “For past 15 days the traffic police had disallowed us to operate saying it created traffic congestion on the road. Over a year ago, we had deployed security guards just to control traffic. We had appealed to AMC and police to allow us to do business but it all went in vain.”
Why no notice issued
When being asked why no notices were issued to food vendors, Rajendra Jadav, Estate officer of AMC’s West Zone, said, “Notice is not issued, or time given, in case of structures that have come up illegally. In such cases, illegal structures are razed, and all materials seized.”
The AMC team, along with police security cover, reached the spot early on Wednesday morning and sealed the road from both the ends before starting to raze down illegal structures. Stall owners, who usually start catering in the evening, arrived at the spot and raised slogans against the AMC.
Read also
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It may be noted that this is not the first time that the food stalls at the spot have been removed or demolished. In 2001, a similar exercise was carried out but widespread protests by vendors ensured that they returned in no time.
AMC commissioner justifies action
Talking to Mirror, Municipal Commissioner Vijay Nehra said, “It was both an antiencroachment as well as traffic control drive and we are working in accordance with the HC directions in the matter. It was brought to my notice that most of the food stalls at Law Garden were illegal. Neither did the vendors have any space allotted to them nor did they pay any levy or charge to the AMC. We will continue with the drive on all major roads of the city so that footpath and paid parking facilities can be built. We also plan to develop such markets with due process of law, in a transparent manner. The question of providing them an alternate space to run the stalls does not arise as they had illegally occupied the area.”
When asked how the AMC will prevent the vendors from returning, he said, “We will have a policy driven approach.”
Vendors lodge protest
Satish Patel, who presided over Law Garden Khani Pini Bajar Association for 25 years as President, said, “On Wednesday morning AMC officials blocked the road from both the sides and started demolishing the structures. The stalls, many of which had cash inside, were removed. We have been lent a big blow and each of the food stall owner is now jobless.”
The association has planned to hold protests to put across their point. Owner of Delight Pav Bhaji Sharda Labana fainted and had to be shifted to hospital for treatment. Binita Thakore, whose food stall Rasraj Bhaji Pav was also seized, said: “Shardaben requested AMC officials to allow her pick up utensils and other belongings but officials did not relent. She blacked out due to shock of losing everything.”
Thakore added, “We were not given any notice. We ensured that two-wheelers are parked properly along the lane while refusing fourwheelers to park. Officials did not listen to our pleas.
Today’s action has made around 100 stall owners jobless. Each of them did a business of at least Rs 1 lakh per month.”
Ramesh Borana, who ran makeshift food stall outside GLS, said, “For past 15 days the traffic police had disallowed us to operate saying it created traffic congestion on the road. Over a year ago, we had deployed security guards just to control traffic. We had appealed to AMC and police to allow us to do business but it all went in vain.”
Why no notice issued
When being asked why no notices were issued to food vendors, Rajendra Jadav, Estate officer of AMC’s West Zone, said, “Notice is not issued, or time given, in case of structures that have come up illegally. In such cases, illegal structures are razed, and all materials seized.”
It was both an anti-encroachment as well as traffic control drive and we are working in accordance with the HC directions in the matter.
We were not given any notice. We ensured that two-wheelers are parked properly along the lane while refusing four wheelers to park.
Over a year ago, we had deployed security guards just to control traffic. We had appealed to AMC and police to allow us to do business but it all went in vain.
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