Pune City Footpaths Overrun by Vendors; Residents Seek Prompt Response From PMC

City residents are facing increasing difficulties as unauthorized vendors occupy most of the footpaths, forcing pedestrians to navigate busy streets among fast-moving vehicles. This encroachment, largely overlooked by the Municipal Corporation’s Encroachment Department, has sparked concerns about public safety and accessibility.

In bustling shopping areas like Tulshi Bagh, Mahatma Phule Mandai, and Lakshmi Road, sidewalks are cluttered with stalls, significantly impeding pedestrian movement. The situation is exacerbated on streets such as Fergusson College Road, Swargate, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Road, where encroachments are rampant, posing risks especially with the upcoming school supply rush.

Local shopkeepers are also contributing to the congestion by placing advertising flexes and storage boxes on the footpaths, further narrowing the available space. In some cases, shop owners are even renting out sidewalk spaces to small vendors, which complicates the situation for shoppers and increases the likelihood of accidents.

Pedestrians express frustration over the temporary and ineffective measures taken by the municipal authorities to address these issues. Madhav Jagtap, the head of the Encroachment Department, stated that the department actively addresses such violations. However, he noted that the current focus of many staff members on election duties has delayed more decisive actions. Jagtap assured that a coordinated effort between the encroachment, road, and construction departments would be initiated post-election to resolve the ongoing encroachment problems effectively.