An anti-encroachment drive launched by police triggered a row as the BJP Rajpur MlA Khanjan Das rushed to the spot and ordered police to allow the cart vendors removed during the drive to continue with the trade and the director traffic directorate DIG Kewal Khurana refused to fall in line.
Both sticking to their guns till the time of filing this report, the observers say that it is interesting to see where the tussle would end.
Things started as the MlA reached the crossing at lansdowne Chowk on Thursday where police had launched the anti-encroachment drive to free the roads of the encroachers.
The lawmaker asked the CPU personnel to allow seven cart vendors to continue trading. He said these cart vendors who hail from the State should be allowed to trade as they have been doing the same for over 15 years.
Besides, he said the Municipal Corporation and police should launch such drives on Sunday as a large number of vendors come from Muzaffarnagar, Meerut and other places of Uttar Pradesh to trade on these days.
However, police was not left amused by the logic dished out by the lawmaker. “We wonder how we can free the city from the chronic traffic congestions if the lawmakers themselves come in the way with such queer logicIJ” asked a senior police officer.
Director traffic directorate DIG Kewal Khurana, who is known for a no-nonsense approach, averred that the anti-encroachment drive would continue in the city in full swing in the coming days. “We will not allow anybody to encroach roads and footpaths,” he said.
He also appealed to the people to desist from purchasing items sold by the traders/vendors who keep roads/footpaths encroached while landing the commuters in recurring traffic snarls.