India, June 9 -- No market in the tricity is free from the choking tentacles of illegal vending. From footpaths and corridors to parking spaces and market entrances, illegal street vendors have taken over public spaces across Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali with impunity. Despite repeated attempts by authorities to rein in the menace through relocation, licensing and designated vending zones, little has changed on the ground. In Chandigarh, the administration relocated vendors to booth markets as early as the 1980s. Over two decades later, the municipal corporation began registering vendors under the Street Vendors Act, 2014. But of the 10,903 vendors licensed in 2016, the number has dwindled to 6,871. The rest lost their licences over a staggering Rs.75 crore in unpaid fees. But while the number of registered vendors has dropped on paper, makeshift stalls have only multiplied, with little consequence. Nearly a decade ago, designated vending zones were established, but they remain largely empty. Vendors-registered or not-continue to prefer crowded market areas with high footfall, confident that enforcement is weak and temporary. Those removed often return within hours. The defiance is growing too, reflected in the recent attack by three Nihangs on municipal staff during an anti-encroachment drive at the Sector-15 Patel Market. The brazenness highlights the urgent need for an iron hand. Frustrated Chandigarh councillors have dubbed the city "Farigarh", lamenting the unabated mushrooming of illegal vends. Over at Mohali, two vending sites were set up in Sector 78 and Phase 6 in 2023, but the drive to relocate the vendors is awaited. Panchkula also has eight designated vending zones and over 700 vending sites, but most lie vacant. As many as 564 sites were allotted in 2020, but 269 were cancelled later after vendors were found subletting them in violation of rules. Meanwhile, illegal stalls flourish unchecked in the busy areas of both cities, with little to show for enforcement. It's high time public spaces were reclaimed, starting with corruption-free enforcement. Advanced technologies like chip-based smart ID cards for street vendors, geo fencing and real-time CCTV surveillance are a welcome step forward. But the action has to begin from ground up through honest and consistent efforts by municipal staff. Steep fines must be backed by zero-tolerance enforcement--- regular raids, confiscation of goods and swift legal action. At the same time, vendors' registration should be simplified with accessible payment options to encourage compliance. Citizens, too, must also be empowered to report illegal stalls in real time for prompt action. Most importantly, authorities must act decisively to uproot the deep rot of illegal vending that's chipping away at the rule of law. Until then, the vending zones will remain empty and the footpaths, full....