SMC in slumber as deadline to remove encroachments approaches

Shimla, Feb 21 (UNI) With only a week left to remove encroachments from the markets of the capital town, as per the directions of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) is yet to issue notices to the violators.

A six-member team constituted by the SMC to inspect encroachments in the local markets had identified over a hundred violations by the shopkeepers in the lower bazaar and the Mall area.

However, the Corporation was still engaged in the process of issuing notices to the offenders.

The SMC has identified as many as 59 cases of permanent encroachment while almost an equal number of temporary encroachments have been established.

The committee's team has categorized these infringements on the basis of the road obstructions, overhanging projections and unauthorized covering on the drains by the shopkeepers.

''We are in process of removing the encroachments from the markets and violators have been identified. Shopkeepers who continue to infringe the rules will be served notices shortly, consequently necessary legal action will be taken against them,'' said Maya Ram, heading the six member team.

Meanwhile, shopkeepers continued to hang their goods and store on the Mall road and unauthorized hawkers have now invaded the town's main market as well.

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