Mechanics block traffic to protest MC action

CHANDIGARH, July 30: The scooter and motor mechanics today held a dharna and blocked traffic in protest against the clearing away of thei...

CHANDIGARH, July 30: The scooter and motor mechanics today held a dharna and blocked traffic in protest against the clearing away of their shops on the roadside in Sector 27 and 28.

The Municipal Corporation today issued challans to over 100 persons and demolished about 56 structures, as the first phase of its anti-encroachment drive ended today.

The structures that were razed included walls, toilets and hutments which were constructed within 15 feet of the main roads across the city.

In the morning, the roadside mechanics found their material missing in Sector 27-28, as it was removed by the enforcement staff of MC around 6 a.m.

All of them gathered on the roundabout and blocked traffic for about an hour. The dharna, which was peaceful, carried on till evening. They also burnt vehicle tyres, raising slogans against the authorities before police intervened to disperse them.

Terming it as minor resistance, MC officials, when contacted, said the shopkeepers in the scooter-car market in Sector 27 and 28 were given time to clear off the encroachments.

However, according to Sukha Singh, general secretary of Auto-Mechanics Federation, Chandigarh, alleged that the MC took away material even 30-40 feet away from the road. They also submitted a memorandum to UT Advisor to the administrator Jagdish Sagar. Sukha added the dharna will continue tomorrow.

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Now that the first phase of the drive is over, MC officials revealed they will launch a three-day follow-up drive beginning tomorrow on the roads cleared during the past four days.

The encroachments were removed from the road berms along the Chandi Path and Purv Marg covering sectors 19-26, 27-28, 31-32 and 46-47 and sectors between the Tribune Chowk and Transport Chowk. About 32 truck loads of material were also confiscated in the drive. These included a jeep, two bodies of cars, a car engine and a car chassis.

The operation, carried out under the supervision of MC secretary Amarpal Singh and Assistant Commissioner-II S.M. Sharma continued throughout the day. They were accompanied by a large police force led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Subhash Sagar. The MC officials also had a bulldozer JCB and a crane at their service.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janta Dal has flayed the corporation for quot;harassing the poor, who work on the roadside to earn their livelihood.quot; Party8217;s local unit president V.S.T. Malik in a press statement has warned of agitation if the seized articles were not returned within 15 days without any penalty.

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