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Footpaths usurped, no safe path for pedestrians in Pune
Vendors selling fruits, vegetables, flowers and various household items are seen occupying footpaths
Barely 500 metres away from the Sinhagad Road ward office of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in Hingne, there is a huge market where fruits, vegetables, flowers and various household items are sold. With the Ganesh festival currently underway, unauthorised stalls selling everything from Ganpati idols to decorations have been added to this list, leading in turn to severe traffic congestion.
Near Katraj Zoo on Satara Road, fruit vendors have created a similar problem, especially in the evenings. A new trend seems to have caught on in the city where what starts as a clutch of vendors selling their wares transforms within no time into a full-blown market teeming with sellers and buyers. This kind of encroachment is on the rise, especially at Sinhagad Road, Satara Road, Warje and Karve Nagar, and despite PMC officials claiming to take action against such encroachment, the encroachers return within two to three days. At Sinhagad Road, the hawkers have begun encroaching the parallel road at the foot of the Taljai Hills ever since the area was opened to the public.
Ajay Gole, anti-encroachment officer from the Sinhagad Road ward office, said, “The encroachment issues have increased in the area, however the main reason for the same is unauthorised parking of vehicles by fruit and vegetable sellers. Most of them come from rural areas and stay in the city for the night. However, their haphazardly parked vehicles create traffic hurdles. Just three days before, we took action against four tempos and fined them ₹15,000 each. However, the situation continued even after the encroachment action.”
Gole said that many shop owners and authorised hawkers too are found supporting these unauthorised businesses. “In some cases, even the organisations came forward to oppose the anti-encroachment actions. Because of this, the situation escalates. However, we take action regularly,” said Gole.
Abhay Mahajan, police inspector from the Sinhgad Road police station, said that the department provides all the necessary support to ward officers in case of anti-encroachment action. Recently, action was taken wherein some tempos and other vehicles were seized.
Madhav Jagtap, deputy commissioner, anti-encroachment department, PMC, said, “The problem is on the rise mainly after the pandemic, during which time the hawkers were given a free hand to do business as it was a special situation. However, it has now become a serious issue as various problems arise due to encroachment.”
The PMC is planning to conduct a survey of hawkers next month. “After analysing the situation thoroughly, we will come up with a plan for the same,” said Jagtap.
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Citizens oppose action against encroachments
In areas like Sinhagad Road, Baner Road, and Warje, vendors from rural areas are found selling agricultural produce, the cost of which is less as compared to the market and the quality too is superior. Several citizens prefer to buy agricultural products from these vendors. When the PMC tries to take action against these unauthorised sellers, the citizens step in to support them and create obstacles for the encroachment action.
Unauthorised stalls on the rise during festive season
With the Ganesh festival underway, many unauthorised stalls have mushroomed across the city selling Ganesh idols, decorations, firecrackers and other knick-knacks. The PMC officials are turning a blind eye to these stalls as most of them enjoy the support of local politicians. The problem is not only seen on the outskirts but also in the main city areas.
