PUNE The city’s ambitious smart footpath project which aims to create a sustainable mobile ecosystem is now occupied by hawkers and illegally parked vehicles and forces pedestrians to walk on roads.
The desired ‘smart’ footpath project included demarcated zones for commercial activities, pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles to ensure that road infrastructure is safe for pedestrians, cyclists and disabled persons. The project is spread on multiple parts of the city- Fergusson College road near Goodluck chowk, Lakshmi road, Deccan Gymkhana, Jangali Maharaj, Ahmednagar road, Pashan road, Aundh, etc.
Hawkers prominently selling clothes, street food, books, and decorative items have encroached the entire stretch creating a hindrance for the pedestrians. Additionally, buyers throng the shops, worsening the woes of the commuters.
Ravi Khandare, assistant municipal commissioner of Ghole road ward office who looks after FC road footpaths, said, “We are conducting encroachment drives every week to get rid of illegal hawkers. But they tend to come back to the same spots again.”
Apart from the unauthorised shops, the parked motorcycles block the footpaths leaving the pedestrians in the lurch. “We have created designated spots for parking but the problem has not been solved. We will take strict action against culprits,” Khandare added.
{{/usCountry}}Apart from the unauthorised shops, the parked motorcycles block the footpaths leaving the pedestrians in the lurch. “We have created designated spots for parking but the problem has not been solved. We will take strict action against culprits,” Khandare added.
{{/usCountry}}Aditya Chawande, project associate (urban design), Parisar, said, “Hawkers have the right to livelihood as well. They need to be regulated and not removed completely. They should be given licenses and proper policies should be established and implemented to stop such practices.”
In addition to the issuance of licenses, Prashant Inamdar, convenor of Pedestrians First, recommends other solutions. He said, “The problem right now is they recognise the PMC vehicle which comes with the staff to take action and wind up their stalls. The issue becomes more serious during the evening hours. So, with a proper understanding of the anatomy of the issue, there should be necessary steps taken by the municipal corporation.”
The business of streetside hawkers highly depends on the response of the locals and the buyers. Inamdar added, “If there is a hawker point in the middle of the busy areas then that might be a solution to the problem. The solution should be such that it ensures livelihood for them and does not cause hindrance on footpaths.”
While the idea of creating a hawker’s zone has been implemented in some parts of the city, the problem continues to irk the people.
Namdev Bajbalkar, assistant municipal commissioner, Ahmednagar road- Wadgaonsheri ward office, said, “We have made designated zones in the Ahmednagar road for the authorised hawkers with licenses. But, the encroachment on footpaths by illegal hawkers continues despite constant anti-encroachment drives. We have taken actions against them multiple times.”
While the anti-encroachment drives are a regular activity in the city, there is hardly any improvement in the condition of ‘smart’ footpaths.