Following persistent traffic disruptions caused by unauthorised vegetable and fruit vendors encroaching upon the roadsides, particularly at Vinchur Chauphuli, municipal authorities took decisive action to clear the encroachments.
On Thursday (22nd), a specialised campaign was launched by the municipality to remove street vendors selling vegetables and fruits along the highways. Heavy machinery such as JCB was deployed to effectively clear the encroachments, which had been causing significant traffic congestion and disruptions on the Nashik-Aurangabad and Manmad-Nagar highways.
Instructions issued to relocate
Notably, unauthorised fruit sellers at Vinchur Chauphuli and vegetable vendors near the Indranil Hotel Corner had unlawfully occupied sections of the highway, prompting the municipality to intervene. Instructions were issued to relocate the vendors to designated areas, but compliance was lacking, leading to continued congestion from Vinchur Chauphuli to the Indranil corner.
Motorists and pedestrians alike had been facing challenges in accessing the city from the Nashik Marga due to the encroachments, further exacerbating traffic issues in the area. Despite previous attempts to address the problem, vendors often resumed their activities on the roadsides shortly after the removal campaigns.
While the recent campaign has succeeded in clearing the encroachments and easing traffic congestion, concerns remain about the potential resurgence of unauthorised vending activities. The municipality aims to implement sustained measures to prevent future encroachments and ensure smooth traffic flow along the highways.
