MC Baramulla cracks down on street vendors, orders relocation

Baramulla, Apr 19: In order to ensure smooth pedestrian movement and to avoid frequent traffic jams in the Baramulla town, the officials of the Municipal Council Baramulla have ordered the relocation of all the street vendors to Tashkan Adda (Kokar Bazar) and General bus stand Baramulla.

The order has been issued following frequent complaints by the Baramulla town residents that street vendors are encroaching roads with the result people find it extremely difficult to walk on the road.

“Due to the haphazardly setting up of the carts by the street vendors on the road sides, there is a significant traffic jam and it often results in the obstruction to the pedestrian movement. The matter has been seriously viewed by the administration,” reads the order issued by the chief executive officer municipal Council Baramulla.

The order further reads that any street vendor found with his cart outside these designated areas will be dealt strictly with law and a fine of Rs 2000 will be imposed on the violator.

The Baramulla town has been struggling with the encroachment of roads by the street vendors for a long time. The main market of the town, stretching from tehsil road to main chowk and the Sabzi market to Government transport bridge is fully occupied by the street vendors.

Although earlier also the municipal council Baramulla had designated Kokar Bazar and the General Bus stand Baramulla for the street vendors, however, lack of administrative action resulted in the noncompliance of the order.

“We hope this time the district officials will implement their order. The application of the order will streamline the traffic movement and will relieve people from the inconvenience while walking on the road,” said Bashir Ahmad, a local resident.