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Illegal encroachments by vendors in key areas raise safety concerns
They claim these unauthorised structures are taking over front margin areas of buildings leading to traffic congestion and safety hazards
Residents in several areas of the city, including Kalyani Nagar, Viman Nagar, Baner-Balewadi, and Katraj, are irked over the increasing number of illegal encroachments by food vendors in their localities. They claim these unauthorised structures are taking over front margin areas of buildings leading to traffic congestion and safety hazards.
Residents of Kalyani Nagar, on December 31, wrote to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) municipal commissioner, Rajendra Bhosale raising concerns over the surge in the number of illegal vendors. As per the complaint, several shop owners in the area are subletting their allocated front space (front margin area) to various vendors for cigarette shops, and other food items, etc.
“The parking spaces designated for shop owners by the developers are being misused for these outlets, leaving residents and visitors without proper parking facilities. This not only caused inconvenience but also compromised the safety and functionality of our neighbourhood,” said, Rachna Aggarwal, chairman of Team Swachh Kalyani Nagar.
Similar is the situation in Viman Nagar with several food vendors and illegal pan shops operating from the front margin and side margin area in Neco Garden, Datta Mandir Chowk, Irani Café and Phoenix Mall amongst other areas.
Qaneez Sukhrani, convenor of the Association of Nagar Road Citizens Forum, informed illegal food vendors and shops are operating in the front margin and side margin area. Besides, a large number of vendors are operating from the pavements, and PMC has turned a blind eye towards the issue.
“Hardly any action is taken by PMC. I have been following up on the issue for a long time. Whenever citizens complain, action is taken against a few vendors for a couple of days. After the action, they are back in business in peace,” claimed, Sukhrani.
In Katraj there are several illegal food vendors operating for the past several years on the front margin and side margin area of buildings and pavements. Most of these eateries are located in and around the Bharati Vidyapeeth.
Tejas Gaikwad, an area resident, said, that due to the presence of an educational institute, the food vendors get a large number of customers. “The shops, pavements and margin areas are always in demand. Shop owners sublet their front-margin areas to these food vendors illegally. Apart from the haphazard parking, the late-night crowded eateries cause a nuisance due to loud noise and filth. However, all are operating hand in gloves,” he said.
Ameya Jagtap, member of the Baner-Balewadi Residents Association, said encroachment is a common issue in almost all the Baner and Balewadi area.
“There are illegal vendors tea shops, momos, Ppn stalls and food vendors operating in the front margin area. The restaurants and cafes are doing business in the front margin area which is meant for parking,” he said.
“The PMC takes action and after a couple of days, the vendors start doing business. There are expert fabricators in this area who can repair the structure post action like there was no action taken by the municipality,” said Jagtap.
Somnath Bankar, head of the anti-encroachment department, PMC, said, the anti-encroachment drives are ongoing, and recently major action was taken on Fergusson College Road.
“The action will continue against the illegal structures and vendors operating in the front margin, side margin, road margin and footpath area. I will look into the issue and action will be taken against the illegal vendors in these areas,” he said.
