Encroachments: Chaura Bazaar, Pavitar Nagar shopkeepers meet MC officials
A total of more than 400 shopkeepers have done illegal construction in Chaura Bazaar on which action is pending.
Mayor Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria in Ludhiana on Monday. (Gurmeet Singh)
The shopkeepers from Chaura Bazaar and Pavitar Nagar on Monday met officials of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation and presented their side of the story on the issue of encroachments.
Both areas are on the MC radar as the High Court hearing on May 27 nears. MC Commissioner Shruti Singh has made it clear that action will be taken in the coming two-three days.
Talking to Newsline, Somnath Grover, from a 10-member committee of Chaura Bazaar shopkeepers, said, “We are not encroachers; we are allottees. Back in 1970s when there was Municipal Committee and not Corporation, we were allotted space in front of shops as per law and we even paid rent. Now most of real owners have passed away and some are alive. We took rent receipts from them and submitted to Mayor today. Let’s see what decision they take now.”
A total of more than 400 shopkeepers, as per MC, have encroached on roads and done illegal construction in Chaura Bazaar on which action is pending.
Shopkeepers from Pavitar Nagar, where the demolition drive was cancelled a day before due to unavailability of police force, met additional commissioner P S Ghuman at Zone D Sarabha Nagar office on Monday.
Mayor Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria said, “Chaura Bazaar shopkeepers furnished documents which show that 2.5 feet space was allotted for ramp and stairs in front of shops but they did not submit the entire rent. They submitted around Rs 40,000 but about Rs 1.02 lakh was pending till 1979. They failed to produce receipts for the remaining amount. We will take legal opinion once they file written representation.”
Ghuman said that “documents submitted by shopkeepers will be studied to take further action”.
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