Lack of fire safety measures and encroachments are some of the problems present in markets in various sectors of the city. The condition in some of these markets is such that in case of a fire heavy losses could be caused. The Patel Market in Sector 15,Sadar Market and Palika Markets in Sector 19 and Shastri Market in Sector 22 have poor fire safety measures. At the Sadar Market in Sector 19,there are no proper fire safety measurements adopted. The electrical wires used in the entire market are of poor quality. These wires with naked ends are hanging from roof tops. Along the wires shopkeepers have displayed clothes and other commodities which could easily catch fire. Parking areas in these markets have been encroached upon by vendors. Enforcement drives that are conducted time and again seem to have no effect on the violators. In fact the parking areas are so cramped that there is not much space left for emergency vehicles to pass. A booth owner in Sadar market said that a number of booths in the market have been set up illegally. While some have been demolished,a few still remain. These have been built encroaching upon the passages. Palika market has the same problem of naked wires but they have some provisions for fire safety. Shopkeepers have displayed their merchandise outside the shops too,leaving negligible space to walk through. The Shastri market in Sector 22 is in no better condition. Even though the market has fire extinguishers at every square,they are hidden by the shop displays. The extinguishers are not visible at all under helmets and dresses. There are several encroachments at Shastri Market. The corridors of Shastri Market have been totally encroached. Illegal vendors are also present here. The parking lot has not been spared and it is filled with vendors. At the Patel Market in Sector 15,scant regard has been paid to fire safety. The president of Patel market Association,Varinder Mahajan said that there is no need as nothing related to fire is being done in those booths. While the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation claims to conduct checks time and again,violators continue to thrive in the markets.
