JAIPUR: With increase in the number of vehicles in the state capital, space for pedestrians is diminishing.
The city is soon going to be footpath-less as encroachments are taking place at a rapid pace due to callousness of civic officials.
The Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) in a survey last year had revealed that over 72% of the roads in the city don’t have footpaths and 77% of the existing ones were pedestrian unfriendly. However, in the absence of any action, encroachments continue to increase majorly on 80 to 100-feetwide roads as civic bodies have turned a blind eye towards the issue, forcing pedestrians to walk along the roads amid fast-moving traffic. The busy roads are now dotted with vendors and gradually turning into a fruit market, making it accident-prone as unmindful commuters park their vehicles wherever they like to shop.
Sometimes people park their cars or two-wheelers haphazardly even on the middle of the road to make a purchase.
One can spot these vendors in good numbers especially on the road connecting Jawahar Nagar and JLN Road near Raja Park, Shanti Path Hassanpura in front of Army area and Ajmer Road after crossing Purani Chungi. As no action is taken against them, their numbers continue to swell and they have now spilled all over the city.
A senior JDA source said, “Since these vendors take permission from Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC), the JDA ignores taking action against these establishments. But these encroachments have become a big concern and a joint-operation should be initiated.”
Residents also alleged that complaints are often dumped and no action are taken by authorities. Vipul Jain, a resident of Tilak Nagar, said, “Road connecting Birla temple and Tulsi circle is dotted with carts and footpaths are either broken or encroached. Complaints have been lodged thrice at the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC), but no action has been taken.”
“The vendors are encroaching the service lanes as well as the main road, while buyers stop their cars on the middle of the road hampering traffic flow. This is also inviting accidents and putting commuters at risk,” said Gajendra Singh, a resident of Jagatpura, where the JDA recently widened a road up to 200 feet.
All this has been happening despite the state government declaring a ‘No Vendor Zone’ on all major roads that are up to 80-feet wide so that traffic could flow smoothly. JLN Marg, along with Tonk Road, Sahkar Marg, Government Hostel Road, Ajmer Road, Transport Nagar Road and many other roads of the main city fall in the ‘No Vendor Zone’.
The city is soon going to be footpath-less as encroachments are taking place at a rapid pace due to callousness of civic officials.
The Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) in a survey last year had revealed that over 72% of the roads in the city don’t have footpaths and 77% of the existing ones were pedestrian unfriendly. However, in the absence of any action, encroachments continue to increase majorly on 80 to 100-feetwide roads as civic bodies have turned a blind eye towards the issue, forcing pedestrians to walk along the roads amid fast-moving traffic. The busy roads are now dotted with vendors and gradually turning into a fruit market, making it accident-prone as unmindful commuters park their vehicles wherever they like to shop.
Sometimes people park their cars or two-wheelers haphazardly even on the middle of the road to make a purchase.
One can spot these vendors in good numbers especially on the road connecting Jawahar Nagar and JLN Road near Raja Park, Shanti Path Hassanpura in front of Army area and Ajmer Road after crossing Purani Chungi. As no action is taken against them, their numbers continue to swell and they have now spilled all over the city.
A senior JDA source said, “Since these vendors take permission from Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC), the JDA ignores taking action against these establishments. But these encroachments have become a big concern and a joint-operation should be initiated.”
Residents also alleged that complaints are often dumped and no action are taken by authorities. Vipul Jain, a resident of Tilak Nagar, said, “Road connecting Birla temple and Tulsi circle is dotted with carts and footpaths are either broken or encroached. Complaints have been lodged thrice at the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC), but no action has been taken.”
“The vendors are encroaching the service lanes as well as the main road, while buyers stop their cars on the middle of the road hampering traffic flow. This is also inviting accidents and putting commuters at risk,” said Gajendra Singh, a resident of Jagatpura, where the JDA recently widened a road up to 200 feet.
All this has been happening despite the state government declaring a ‘No Vendor Zone’ on all major roads that are up to 80-feet wide so that traffic could flow smoothly. JLN Marg, along with Tonk Road, Sahkar Marg, Government Hostel Road, Ajmer Road, Transport Nagar Road and many other roads of the main city fall in the ‘No Vendor Zone’.
