Srinagar, May 7: The encroachment of the road and sidewalks by the roadside vendors has become a nuisance in Hawal with many residents and shopkeepers appealing the authorities to check the menace.
 The residents said many accidents in the area particularly in the vicinity of Firdous Cinema have happened due to the encroachment of the road and sidewalks by the roadside vendors and shopkeepers.
 “It is quite unfortunate that neither the traffic police nor the SMC authorities are taking action against the street vendors and shopkeepers encroaching the road and sidewalks by extending their makeshift stalls,” the residents said.
 “The shop owners and street vendors are illegally occupying the footpaths during the day leaving no space for the pedestrians. Their occupying the sidewalks and roads also causes hurdles in the traffic which results in many accidents,” they said.
 “Traffic jams are very frequent in the area because of these stalls and shops which lay their merchandise on the makeshift stalls extended towards the road side and occupying the sidewalks,” they said.
 A resident said: “Sometime back the traffic police had forced the shopkeepers to remove the encroachments, but that worked for just one or two days.”
 SP Traffic, Haseeb Ur Rehman said: “We are not concerned with removal of encroachments. Our mandate is to see the traffic flow.  It is the responsibility of SMC and in some cases SDA to remove encroachments.”
 When contacted Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Dr GN Qasba said: “Illegal occupation of footpath is one of the major concerns in the Valley and we will ensure that these encroachment are removed.”
 Qasba assured that tomorrow the encroachment on Hawal road will be removed. “If people will come to us and inform about the encroachment we will remove them as soon as possible,” he added.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 7 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 7 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 8 May 2012 00:00:00 IST