LAHORE: In collaboration with the city district administration, the Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL) is all set to distribute another 1,000 model carts among the roadside vendors free of cost as a part of the Punjab government initiative to curb encroachments, traffic congestion and vehicular emissions in the city.

The model carts, each worth Rs150,000, will only be given to those surrendering their old carts to the MCL enforcement staff, Dawn has learnt.

`So far, we have distributed 972 model carts among roadside vendors who registered themselves with the MCL and handed over their old carts to us under a criteria laid down by the city administration and the MCL officers concerned,` Lahore Deputy Commissioner Syed Musa Raza told Dawn on Tuesday.

`Another 1,000 model carts are currently being manufactured and as soon as we receive these, we will start distributing them among the vendors free of cost,` Mr Raza added.

He says that the traditional carts surrendered by the vendorsare dismantled to ensure these are notreused by anyone.

The vendors receiving the model carts are bound to do business at designated places, vacating the footpaths and greenbelts. If any vendor violates the rules in this regard, the MCL staff will confiscate his model cart immediately.

`The model carts are very heavy and hard to move. This will keep the vendors away from the main roads and help curb encroachments and traffic congestion, and result in decreasing air pollution, eventually.

`So far, we have accommodated 972 model carts at 24 designated places in Johar Town, Shadman, Iqbal Town, Thokar and other localities in the city. Likewise, the 1,000 more carts would be placed in different parts of the city,` the DC said, adding that the project is helping a lot in easing mobility of the people on city roads.

To a question, Mr Raza said approximately there are around 5,000 roadside vendors with wheelbarrows in Lahore and the government intends to give model carts to all of them.

He said operation against removal of other types of encroachments, including those in parkinglots, setback areas and markets is also underway, as no one would be allowed to use the public mobility spacesforbusiness purposes.

`There are confirmed reports that shopkeepers receive `rent` from small vendors for allowing them to set up temporary kiosks (such as counters for repair of mobile phones and small home appliance etc). That is why we are requesting the small vendors to better shift to the designated places for model carts,` the DC maintained, adding that the MCL staff has tasked with removing encroachments to ease mobility.

Meanwhile, according to a spokesman, the Lahore DC paid surprise visits to Ravi tehsil and inspected the model carts at Shahdara GT Road Service Lane.

He ordered the officers concerned to ensure cleanliness in their respective jurisdictions. He also reviewed cleaning measures in various areas, including Begum Kot and Phool Mandi in Ravi tehsil.

`The administrative officers should personally monitor the situation of cleaning mechanisms in the field and take all possible steps to improve sanitation and sewerage system,` he said.