Illegal hawkers, parking push C Kol pedestrians off pavements
Times of India | 12 January 2025
12 Kolkata: The central business district has become a dangerous zone for pedestrians, with illegal encroachments and parking forcing them to step off the pavements and walk on the roads, risking their lives.
On Friday, a minibus rammed four women, all of them pedestrians and three of them senior citizens, leading to the death of one of them around 11:50 am at the MG Road-Kalakar Street crossing, close to Satyanarayan Park in central Kolkata's Burrabazar. Witnesses said the victims had no choice but to walk on the carriageway because the pavements were either occupied by hawkers or blocked by illegally parked vehicles.
"If the woman was on the pavement, the guardrails separating it from the road might have saved her life," said Ravi Jain, owner of a garments shop near the spot of the accident. "Unfortunately, they were on the road trying to protect themselves from the speeding vehicles when the minibus rammed them."
The absence of encroachment-free pavements in Burrabazar and adjoining areas has become a safety concern for pedestrians, local businessmen, and residents. On pavements in Rabindra Sarani, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kalakar Street, Brabourne Road and India Exchange Place, all within a half-kilometre radius of the accident spot, have been completely taken over by hawkers, compelling pedestrians to share the congested roads with vehicles. On Rabindra Sarani, hawkers selling footwear have taken over almost the entire pavement. On Kalakar Street, it is the food hakers who are the violators. On Brabourne Road, everything from clothes to suitcases to cosmetics is sold on the pavements.
"I feel like I am risking my life every time I step out," said Anupam Sharma, a local resident who commutes daily through Brabourne Road. "We are forced to walk on the road because the pavements are either full of hawkers or have two-wheelers parked on them. On the carriageway, we have to walk right in the middle as there are cars parked on either side."
Priya Jhajharia, who was seen navigating the chaotic MG Road, expressed frustration: "We have no choice but to walk on the road. It's terrifying when buses and cars speed by so close. The authorities need to take action before more lives are lost."
Even traffic police on duty admit their helplessness. "The hawkers are a rowdy force," confessed a traffic cop stationed near MG Road. "Whenever we try to clear the pavements, they come back within days. Without proper support from the administration, it's impossible to maintain order."
In last June-July, the administration managed to reclaim some pavements in the Burrabazar area following a directive from CM Mamata Banerjee. However, the hawkers have since returned, once again rendering the pavements unusable.