Charbagh will be a novending zone soon
LMC to have talks with vendors. Those registered with civic body to get alternative space for stalls
LUCKNOW: Expressing concern over the vanishing roads due to encroachments by street vendors in an organised manner, minister of urban development Suresh Khanna said that street vending would soon be regulated in the city.
During his visit to Charbagh and Naka Hindola on Wednesday, the minister was pained to see 90% of the road encroached upon, with traffic plying on the remaining 10%.
He directed the LMC officials to be strict in tackling encroachments so that the traffic could be streamlined and the roads became fit enough to attract tourists.
He also directed the LMC officials to declare Charbagh as ‘no vending zone’ and to push vendors in Aminabad behind the yellow line.
Additional municipal commissioner PK Srivastava said, “We will have a talk with the street vendors and take them into confidence before removing them from the road in Charbagh. It is not possible to relocate all of them on the main road but we are going to search for a place for them.
Street vendors registered with the LMC will be provided space to set up their stalls.”
General secretary of National Alliance for Street Vendors in Lucknow Gokul Prasad said street vendors must not be displaced unless they were provided alternative space. Any move to remove them by force would be opposed.
The local shopkeepers of Charbagh have welcomed the decision of LMC to get Charbagh free of encroachers.
However, the minister had blasted the shopkeepers of Guru Nanak market for encroaching its sidewalk and extending their shops.
Some of the shops have even constructed underground basements causing danger to the 50- year-old multi storey building. Municipal commissioner Udairaj Singh said, “The LMC is ready for action against encroachers in Charbagh. Soon it will become a ‘no vending zone’ while vending in Aminabad will be regulated with the help of police.”