Chandigarh, Aug. 10 -- The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, which has collected nearly Rs.7 crore by issuing challans to 64,806 encroachers across the city since 2024, has seen a sharp rise in revenue as well as the number of challans issued this year. Roadside vendors constitute most of those targeted. The civic body's data shows that it fined 19,475 encroachers and collected Rs.2.06 crore in 2024, collected Rs.3.04 crore after issuing challans to 28,561 squatters in 2025, and collected Rs.1.78 crore from 16,770 encroachers in the first six months of 2026. With this, the MC's cumulative challan revenue amounts to Rs.6.88 crore in 2.5 years. During the corresponding January-June period in 2024, the MC collected Rs.96.01 lakh through 8,846 challans. In the corresponding period of 2025, the collection jumped to Rs.1.64 crore from 14,583 challans. During January 1 to June 30, the collection of Rs.1.78 crore through 16,770 challans indicates a considerable rise in challan revenue and the number of challans issued. The MC's January-June challan revenue has increased by nearly Rs.82 lakh, or about 86%, compared with the corresponding figure of 2024. Compared with the corresponding period of 2025, the collection is up by around Rs.14 lakh, or 9%. The number of challans has increased from 8,846 in the first six months of 2024 to 14,583 in 2025 and 16,770 in 2026. The biggest jump came between 2024 and 2025. The MC's full-year challan revenue rose from Rs.2.06 crore in 2024 to Rs.3.04 crore in 2025, an increase of nearly Rs.96 lakh or about 47%. The number of challans increased from 19,475 to 28,561 during the same period, a rise of around 46%. The increase in revenue comes amid an intensified campaign against encroachments and unauthorised vending. Enforcement teams have shifted street vendors providing non-essential services to their allotted sites, removed temporary and unauthorised vendors and conducted special anti-encroachment drives to restore public spaces and ensure smoother pedestrian and vehicular movement. The corporation has also distributed 284 smart cards to registered street vendors as part of efforts to improve identification, compliance and record management. Vendors also vacated sites in Sector 19, Sector 22 and Manimajra that were covered by court stay orders, in compliance with court directions. Last month, the MC allotted 498 vacant vending sites to eligible vendors through a transparent draw of lots held by its vendor cell across various notified vending zones in the city. The draw was conducted in the presence of MC joint commissioner Himanshu Gupta, councillors and other officials. Following a Supreme Court ruling, the MC was required to reclassify more than 600 vendors and allot them sites in designated vending zones. MC joint commissioner Himanshu Gupta said the anti-encroachment campaign has been intensified in the recent months. Violations won't be tolerated, he said....