Chandigarh, July 18 -- Functioning illegally since 1985, the furniture market in Sectors 53 and 54 is finally set to go with a demolition drive planned on July 20. UT estate officer-cum-deputy commissioner (DC) Nishant Kumar Yadav confirmed the development and said that over 1,000 police personnel will be on duty to ensure smooth operations. The shops employ nearly 1,000 persons. The unauthorised market, housing 116 shops, occupies approximately 15 acres of agricultural land in Sectors 53 and 54. Located on a busy artery connecting Chandigarh and Mohali, the market has emerged as a major chokepoint, with improper parking outside the shops blocking free passage to vehicles. With barely any fire-safety measures, such as minimal spacing between shops, the market which stores large quantities of flammable materials like thinners, has seen multiple blazes over the years. In the early 1990s, the UT administration had tried to remove the shops, but the traders got a stay order from the Punjab and Haryana high court in 1993. The administration had purchased a part of the encroached land, falling in Badheri village, in 2002. When it renewed efforts to clear the land, the shopkeepers again approached the court for a stay, however, the court dismissed the petitions in September 2023, upholding the administration's right to reclaim the land. In June 2024, the UT issued an eviction notice, asking shopkeepers to vacate the land within a week. However, the shopkeepers submitted representations to the UT administration, prompting then DC Vinay Pratap Singh to temporarily halt the demolition drive. The traders had requested for an opportunity to purchase shops in the upcoming Bulk Material Market in Sector 56 through an open auction. They also offered to pay rent for the encroached land until the auction was conducted, but the administration outrightly rejected this proposal. On January 9 this year, the UT estate officer issued eviction orders to the shopkeepers, directing them to vacate the encroached land within 15 days. The order clearly stated that no alternative site for relocation will be provided. The deadline expired on January 24, and a demolition drive was initially planned for January 28, but again put on hold. A senior UT administration official said, "We will allow the traders to participate in the open auction of shops at the Bulk Material Market in Sector 56. Infrastructure development for these shops is currently underway, and we plan to conduct the auction within two months," he said. The official further said that the administration would assess the number of furniture traders applying for these sites. "If only a few succeed in securing shops, they will be encouraged to participate in future auctions for commercial sites across the city," the above quoted official said. Sanjeev Bhandari, president of the furniture market association, said, "We are exploring legal options and are hopeful that we will get some relief. At present, we do not have any alternate site to move to."...