Now, RTI activist files plaint against vending zone in Sarabha Nagar mkt

Ludhiana: At a time when shopkeepers of Sarabha Nagar market have opposed MC’s decision of setting up a vending zone there and threatened to lock their shops, city-based RTI activist Rohit Sabharwal has lodged a formal complaint with the local bodies department against the proposal.
Earlier, the local shopkeepers had opposed a similar move of creating a vending zone in BRS Nagar.
As per the complaint submitted to the principal secretary of the local bodies department, smart vending zone or chaupati has been proposed against the original layout plan of the market developed by the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT). In the market, a space lies vacant where such a chaupati has been proposed by the civic body. Sabharwal stated the place can be used for this purpose only if it is not kept reserved for green belt or parking purpose. He said the MC cannot carry out change of land use in the market layout plan on its own as they must get an NOC from the LIT. He said there should be proper checking of the layout plan before starting any construction in the market.
The members of the shopkeepers’ association of the market held a press conference on Friday and expressed resentment against MC’s decision. They claimed that the move would lead to crowding at the market.
When contacted, zonal commissioner J S Sekhon said the proposal is still at the nascent stage and nothing has been finalized yet. He said shopkeepers allow roadside vends in the market every evening and charge money from them and if they are so worried about the vending zone, they should also stop allowing roadside vendors to sell stuff there.
Notably, the matter of land use violation by the shopkeepers — who constructed shop-cum-offices instead of shop-cum-flats at the market — is already in the Punjab and Haryana high court. It is due to this reason that the MC changed its plan of beautifying the market.