Chandigarh, May 11 -- The iconic book market in Sector 15, home to over two dozen booksellers, is grappling with poor infrastructure and dwindling profits, with authorities paying no heed to shopkeepers' continued problems.

Established between 1972 and 1975 near Panjab University's (PU) gate number 2, the market was relocated to Sector 15 in 2007, where shopkeepers were allotted only raised platforms instead of proper commercial shops for operations. Despite repeated appeals and limited improvements over the years, such as the installation of shutters in 2016, the basic infrastructure of the market remains grossly inadequate for sellers who have been catering to the city's academic needs for decades.

Shopkeepers say the conditions under...