A high-level meeting was convened today under the chairmanship of Shri Rajeev Verma, Chief Secretary, UT Chandigarh, to comprehensively review key civic and infrastructural issues at the Grain, Fruit & Vegetable Market, Sector 26. The meeting was attended by senior officials including Shri Mandip Singh Brar, Home Secretary; Shri Diprava Lakra, Finance Secretary; Shri Amit Kumar, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation; Shri Nishant Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner; Shri Pardeep Kumar, Secretary Agriculture; Shri Sumer Partap Singh, SSP (Traffic); Ms. Kanwaedeep Kaur, SSP (Law & Order); Shri Hari Kalikkat, Secretary, Marketing Board; Shri C. B. Ojha, Chief Engineer; Pavitter Singh Administrator Market Committee and other officials from the Market Committee.
Key issues such as sanitation, encroachments, road infrastructure, drainage, street lighting, and traffic regulation were deliberated upon in detail. The Chief Secretary expressed concern over the prevailing sanitation conditions and directed the sanitation contractor to augment both manpower and equipment.
The Municipal Corporation was tasked with establishing an effective and sustainable mechanism for slush disposal. Encroachments by unauthorized vendors were discussed extensively.
The Chief Secretary instructed the Market Committee to expedite the process of acquiring enforcement powers. Simultaneously, the Municipal Corporation and Chandigarh Police were directed to deploy dedicated personnel for regular removal of illegal vendors, with strict instructions to prevent their entry into the Mandi.
On the matter of road repairs, the Chief Secretary approved the use of cement concrete for improved durability, replacing the earlier plan for interlocking pavers. The Engineering Department was directed to float tenders at the earliest.
For drainage improvement, officials were instructed to implement a modern and efficient system tailored to the needs of the Mandi. Installation of surveillance cameras was also mandated to deter illegal dumping. Responsibility for the maintenance and operation of all street lighting within the Mandi was assigned to the Municipal Corporation.
Addressing traffic congestion, the Chandigarh Police was directed to ensure adequate deployment of traffic personnel to regulate vehicle movement and penalize illegal parking. The Chief Secretary stressed the need for coordinated action among all departments and emphasized time-bound resolution of issues to ensure a cleaner, safer, and better-managed marketplace.