Azadpur mandi clears illegal encroachments, seized vegetables sent to children’s home

The Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Azadpur launched a comprehensive anti-encroachment drive on Wednesday at Asia’s largest fruit and vegetable market, clearing illegal occupations from main roads and pathways, and donating the seized fruits and vegetables to a children’s home in Jahangirpuri.

According to the market administration, the drive was launched to ensure smooth business activities and provide relief from daily traffic congestion at the Azadpur market. The administration had been receiving continuous complaints from local traders, commission agents (aadhatiyas) and farmers visiting from distant areas, alleging that unauthorized vendors, roadside hawkers and local shopkeepers had illegally blocked main roads, pavements and areas in front of sheds by spreading goods, plastic crates and large quantities of fruits and vegetables, completely obstructing pathways.

This heavy encroachment had caused trucks carrying goods, commercial vehicles and pedestrian buyers to face hours of traffic jams and severe inconvenience, significantly affecting daily trade. To find a permanent and quick solution, a joint team comprising APMC Azadpur enforcement units, senior market officials and security personnel entered several sensitive areas of the market, including the “A Block,” early Wednesday morning with full equipment. Using cranes and JCB machines, long-standing illegal occupations were completely removed and the paths cleared.

Demonstrating sensitivity and social responsibility, the market administration decided not to waste the fresh green vegetables seized during the operation, and instead sent them for institutional utilization.

The Azadpur Mandi Administration officially handed over all the seized food items to Prayas Children’s Home for Boys, a project of the Ministry of Women and Child Development located in Jahangirpuri, so they could be used for the children’s meals.

The main items sent to the orphanage included 90 kg of bottle gourd (ghiya), 50 kg of potatoes, 40 kg of ladyfinger (bhindi), 20 kg of taro root (arbi), one dhadi of approximately 5 kg, of jackfruit, and 20 kg of raw bananas, which were duly received by officials of the institution.