Pedestrians forced to walk on roads risking lives as encroachment on footpaths goes unchecked

Pedestrians in the city are facing immense hardships due to rampant encroachment of footpaths by shopkeepers, contractors and vendors. Dumped construction material, roadside parking and illegal vends have taken over walkways forcing pedestrians to walk on busy roads while putting their lives at risk.

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Fed up with encroachments, residents are demanding immediate action against errant shopkeepers and vendors who dump construction material and goods on footpaths.

“Footpaths are meant for walking, not for commercial activities,” said Rohan Kumar, a city resident. He said the authorities must take strict action against encroachers to reclaim footpaths.

The city witnesses footfall of thousands of tourists from outside Punjab who prefer to walk in bazaars and in the old city areas. Due to encroachments on footpaths, they are forced to find their way amid heavy vehicular traffic on roads.

The problem is particularly acute in areas like on Lawrence Road, Mall Road and in Hall Bazaar where footpaths are narrowed or completely blocked by dumping of construction material, parking of vehicles and makeshift stalls.

“Walking on city roads is a nightmare. We are forced to walk on the road while risking our lives. Shopkeepers and vendors flout anti-encroachment rules with impunity,” said Monika Singh, another city resident. She said footpaths in the city were used for every other purpose except by pedestrians. Residents say shopkeepers should not be allowed to display their goods on footpaths in front of their shops. They said as Amritsar was a tourist city, basic facilities must be available here for the public.

They suggested that immediate removal of encroachments from footpaths, strict penalties on shopkeepers and vendors violating rules, designated parking areas for vehicles and regular checking to ensure that footpaths remained clear could help improve situation in the holy city.