A few years ago, the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation spent lakhs of rupees to construct a street vending zone near the bus stand, opposite Jaswant Motors. The objective was to relocate the street carts operating around the bus stand to this single location. Although the Corporation initially launched a drive to shift the vendors here, it subsequently neglected the facility entirely.
The current situation is dire: not all carts were successfully relocated, and the vending zone has received no proper maintenance. The site has fallen into a state of disrepair. For over a year, a clogged sewer has caused stagnant, filthy water to accumulate, causing immense hardship for the shopkeepers and vendors.
Anil Sabharwal, a shopkeeper in the vending zone, stated that he has repeatedly complained to Municipal Corporation officials about the sewage issue, yet his grievances have gone unaddressed. He noted that customers avoid eating at their shops due to the filth and sewage water; after all, who would want to sit and eat in such an environment?
Sabharwal recalled that the Mayor and the Municipal Commissioner had visited the site some time ago, and QR codes were issued to the shopkeepers. They were informed that the fees collected by the Corporation would henceforth be deposited directly into their accounts. He remarked that while grand claims were made back then, the current state of the area suggests it has transformed from a vending zone into a “hell zone.” He warned that if the issue is not resolved by Wednesday, September 9, all carts, *dhabas*, and food stalls will be shut down on Thursday, September 10, and their keys handed over to the Municipal Commissioner and the Mayor. He lamented that despite the sewage water reaching the shops, no official has visited the site to inspect the problem. Anil stated that while claims are being made about transforming Jalandhar into a clean and better city, the reality of the vending zones on the ground exposes the hollowness of these assertions. Stagnant, dirty water also poses a risk of disease outbreaks in the area. He demanded that the municipal administration immediately resolve the sewerage issue. Raju was also present with Anil on this occasion.
