JAIPUR: Three months ago, UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal while inspecting the Walled City pulled up officials for not taking action against shopkeepers who encroached the verandas. The minister said this was affecting the beauty of the heritage city.
Though Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) appointed 16 guards to take action against the encroachers, nothing has changed as the verandas and footpaths continue to remain encroached right under the nose of the authorities.
Initially, JMC took action by sealing eight shops in the market for violating the orders, but everything is back to normal with people shopkeepers encroaching the verandas giving little space for people to walk.
Shopkeepers, however, gave different reasons to justify their acts. Rajat Saini, a shopkeeper at Bapu Bazaar, said it was important to display the products in the verandas to attract more eyeballs. “On the footpaths, the same products were being sold at cheaper rates. If we don’t display our products, customers won’t come. The authorities should first remove the street vendors encroaching the roads before pointing fingers at us,” said Rajat.
General secretary of Jauhri Bazaar Vyapaar Mandal Kailash Mittal blamed the negligent attitude of JMC authorities. “Verandas are completely choked with little space to walk. We have complained many times, but no action was taken. Most of the officials are too lazy to take this seriously. Those home guards that JMC claimed to have appointed were never seen in the market,” said Kailash.
Deputy commissioner of enforcement at JMC Rajiv Dutta said due to violence in some areas of Walled City, they had put the anti-encroachment drive on hold.
“We were occupied with the incidences of violence in many parts of the walled city. It wasn’t possible for us to focus of the remaining areas with so much going on in other. JMC will restart its drive again soon, but till then there will be some issues with encroachments,” said Dutta.
Though Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) appointed 16 guards to take action against the encroachers, nothing has changed as the verandas and footpaths continue to remain encroached right under the nose of the authorities.
TimesView
Encroachments by traders in the Walled City have been a long-standing problem in Jaipur. While the onus rests on Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) and related authorities to clear these illegal structures, shopkeepers too must show civic responsibility, especially when the city has received the World Heritage tag. The JMC should set a time frame for traders to voluntarily clear encroachments, failing which impose penalties and take suitable action to remove them. It is also important to remove street vendors, who obstruct businesses and hinder traffic, from footpaths.
Initially, JMC took action by sealing eight shops in the market for violating the orders, but everything is back to normal with people shopkeepers encroaching the verandas giving little space for people to walk.
Shopkeepers, however, gave different reasons to justify their acts. Rajat Saini, a shopkeeper at Bapu Bazaar, said it was important to display the products in the verandas to attract more eyeballs. “On the footpaths, the same products were being sold at cheaper rates. If we don’t display our products, customers won’t come. The authorities should first remove the street vendors encroaching the roads before pointing fingers at us,” said Rajat.
General secretary of Jauhri Bazaar Vyapaar Mandal Kailash Mittal blamed the negligent attitude of JMC authorities. “Verandas are completely choked with little space to walk. We have complained many times, but no action was taken. Most of the officials are too lazy to take this seriously. Those home guards that JMC claimed to have appointed were never seen in the market,” said Kailash.
Deputy commissioner of enforcement at JMC Rajiv Dutta said due to violence in some areas of Walled City, they had put the anti-encroachment drive on hold.
“We were occupied with the incidences of violence in many parts of the walled city. It wasn’t possible for us to focus of the remaining areas with so much going on in other. JMC will restart its drive again soon, but till then there will be some issues with encroachments,” said Dutta.
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