Pune: Residents Slam PMC Over Inaction On Footpath Encroachments

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) have on several occasions launched anti-encroachment operations. The Recent drives cleared illegal stalls and hoardings in areas such as Viman Nagar after repeated media reports and resident complaints. However, the issue still exists in many areas. 

Santosh Warule, a resident, said, "The vendors and their autos are seen halted at the footpaths opposite the Symbiosis College at Senapati Bapat Road. The students, as well as the people, find it difficult to walk on footpaths as they are encroached by the fruit sellers and local vendors. We have to risk our lives and walk on the main road, sometimes in areas where these autos are halted. There's a whole encroachments mance in the area, and we have reached out to the authorities so many times, but nothing has been done so far." 

In busy commercial areas like Fergusson College Road, Laxmi Road and Jungli Maharaj Road, encroachments by shops and hawkers have made sidewalks almost unusable during peak hours. Residents have highlighted that footpaths are often treated as extensions of the roadway rather than pedestrian space, adding to traffic woes and endangering lives.

"We have a designated infrastructure for the people on foot, but still, we don't get to use it; rather, hawkers are making the best use out of it. The beggars have encroached the footpath, and authorities last year took action on FC road, but still, if you go, you'll see the stalls and everything. They just wash the residents ' eyes, saying we took action, but reality is they are making money out of it, and people are suffering," said a student at FC college, Shivani Jedhe. 

"In Hirabaug area, near Tilak Road, one can see Shopkeepers’ vehicles parked on the footpaths and common citizens’ vehicles on the road. Nothing should be parked on foothpath. A wide road has turned narrow because of Illegaly encrochment. We have been raising the issue for a very long time, but nothing has been done so far, and we have also made up our minds to whom we are going to give our votes. We don't want promises, but we want solutions," said Sharad Kashid, a localite. 

“The footpaths on Satara Road have been dug up, and walking has become very difficult for us. We are hoping for things to get better by getting a corporator after the elections. We need representatives who can voice our concerns and get things done, as we are working professionals, and we don't get time to follow up with the officials and on weekends, the officers don't listen. Despite repeated efforts by civic authorities, footpaths in many parts of Pune remain blocked, broken or unsafe, failing the very people they were built for," said Charu Gupta,a local resident.