Anti-Encroachment Drive: Street Vendors in Old Alwal ask GHMC officials where to go

Alwal: Following complaints made by locals about roadside encroachment by hawkers, the GHMC along with Traffic policemen conducted an anti-encroachment drive in Old Alwal on Wednesday.

It was brought to the notice of the authorities that gobbled up footpaths in Alwal by the street vendorswas causing hardships to the pedestrians. However the street vendors who faced the wrath of the authorities lamented that their bread and butter was affected by the drive.

"We were running these small businesses to eke out a living. Owing to Lockdown we were already suffering for the past one year and now these officials are asking us to shift the business to other places. Where should we go?" asked SRangama, a fruit seller.

However, the residents who expressed worry over growing number of street vendors welcomed the decision of officials to clear the area. "We launched a complaint regarding the encroachments as the pedestrians have no space to walk, the vendor aretaking over the footpaths," said Umesh, a resident.

While others who take public transport felt that the presence of the street vendors is discouraging the RTC buses from halting anywhere they like. "Given the situation, buses are not halting at the bus stops proper.

We are forced to run behind the bus. Earlier when we complained to GHMC about this issue immediately action was taken but again the same was seen," said J Arjun, a resident of temple Alwal.

T Rohini, resident of Alwal said that the motoristarefacing difficulties to ride through the lanes. "Especially during the markets days roads are bottlenecked by the vendors and buyers, making it difficult even for the ambulance to pass.

"It is creating a nuisance especially when the eateries like dosa and idli makers, tea seller, snack seller start functioning on footpath as people park vehicles on the road leading to traffic jams. We wonder what would happen in the upcoming month of Ramadan,"said Ch Sai Charan Rao, another resident of Alwal.

Traffic cop who supervised the drive said that as they have been receiving complaints regarding the situation they had to act. "Despite warnings to clear the area, the street vendors continued their business.

The stretch from Loyola College till the statue Indira Gandhi was cleared off, all the street vendors were asked never to return," said the policewoman.