Launching a city-wide drive to ease traffic congestion and improve cleanliness, the Patiala Mayor Kundan Gogia on Wednesday directed MC officials to remove all illegal encroachments by street vendors and shopkeepers and take strict action against those defacing public properties.
While presiding over a meeting of the health, building and land branches of the MC, the Mayor reviewed issues related to garbage and construction debris lying along roadsides, unauthorised encroachments, unregulated night vending and defacement of government properties across the city.
Gogia instructed officials to issue notices to violators and grant them three days to voluntarily remove encroachments. He also ordered public awareness announcements to inform residents and traders about the anti-encroachment campaign.
Describing illegal encroachments as a major cause of traffic bottlenecks and frequent jams in the city, the Mayor warned that challans and legal action would follow once the deadline expires. The civic body will also intensify action against individuals and firms responsible for defacing public places with posters, banners and unauthorised paintings. “Action will be initiated under the Punjab Prevention of Defacement of Property Act against all violators,” said Gogia.
To regulate night vending, officials were directed to verify vending licences and ensure that every cart owner kept a dustbin. Vendors will not be allowed to leave carts on roads or in parks after business hours, and any abandoned carts obstructing public spaces will be seized immediately, he added.
Commissioner Pooja Syal Grewal, who was present at the meeting, reiterated the civic body’s commitment to transforming Patiala into a clean, beautiful and well-managed city.
Both the Mayor and the Commissioner appealed to residents and traders to cooperate with the MC in its efforts to make Patiala cleaner, safer and free from encroachments. Mayor Gogia said the enforcement team of the civic body had begun issuing challans against encroachments in the city. Four challans had been issued at the time of filing this report.
