Celebrations & civic sense should go hand in hand

Adopt Balanced approach

During the festive season, shopkeepers and street vendors encroach upon public spaces to display their products, setting up stalls along pavements, roadsides and even near traffic junctions. While this creates a lively atmosphere and offers easy access

to seasonal goods for the public, it also brings with it serious issues of congestion, safety hazards and inconvenience to pedestrians and motorists alike. The chaos raises a key question: who bears the responsibility for such encroachments—the individual vendors or Municipal Corporation tasked with regulating public spaces? Vendors would argue that festivals are a crucial time to augment earnings and limited designated markets force them to occupy public places. But the MC often fails to implement strict regulations or provide sufficient alternative spaces for temporary stalls. Therefore, the responsibility cannot rest on one side alone. A balanced approach is needed, where the authorities concerned ensure proper infrastructure and designated vending zones, while vendors respect boundaries and regulations. Only through joint accountability can festive celebrations remain vibrant without descending into chaos.

Novin Christopher

Collective effort is required

It is rightly said you cannot clap with one hand. The issue of shopkeepers and vendors encroaching upon public roads during the festive season is not the fault of a single party, but the collective result of many. Blaming only vendors or only the authorities concerned will never bring a solution. Every stakeholder must take responsibility. Government authorities should pay timely attention and ensure proper implementation of regulation, while vendors should be guided to shift their stalls to designated spaces. At the same time, customers also have a role to play by questioning such practices and supporting the move towards organised markets. Only when all three—authorities, vendors and customers—work in coordination can the resulting chaos be effectively managed and public convenience maintained.

Khushdeep Kaur

Monitor markets during festivals

To manage the chaos of the festive season due to shopkeepers’ encroachments, the authorities concerned need to proactively meet with business owners to discourage encroachments, enforce strict laws against illegal displays and parking, conduct regular anti-encroachment drives, assign specific zones for vendors, and hold them responsible for breaking the law. People must take responsibility by not buying from encroachers and reporting illegal activity. Hold meetings with shopkeepers and market associations before festivals to jointly agree on displaying goods within permissible limits and discouraging encroachment. Develop a comprehensive action plan, including strict supervision and deployment of traffic police to monitor encroachments and ensure smooth movement. Conduct regular anti-encroachment drives, issue notices and impose heavy fines on violators to deter future encroachments. Demarcate spaces for vendors to prevent them from occupying footpaths and roads. Launch awareness campaigns to sensitise people and shopkeepers about their responsibilities in keeping public spaces clear and preventing traffic congestion. Implement and enforce strict laws regardless of the season. Shopkeepers should cooperate with the authorities concerned, keep their goods within designated areas, and not obstruct the movement of traffic or pedestrians. Officials should monitor market areas, especially during festivals, to prevent encroachment.

Sukhdev Sharma

Authorities should ensure smooth mobility

Every festival season, our roads turn into bustling make-shift markets, with shopkeepers and street vendors spilling onto public spaces. The result? Endless traffic jams, frayed tempers and a risk to public safety. While it is easy to blame individual vendors for blocking roads, the larger responsibility lies with the authorities concerned entrusted upon with the responsibility to regulate them. Vendors simply seek livelihood during peak sales, but it is the administration’s duty to provide designated spaces, enforce rules and maintain smooth mobility. Turning a blind eye not only fuels chaos but also signals weak governance. A balanced approach—strict regulation combined with temporary, organised market zones—can ensure that both commerce and convenience go hand in hand. Festivals should bring joy, not disorder and it is up to the authorities concerned to make sure of that.

Sonampreet Singh

MC should issue clear guidelines

During festivals, shops and sellers frequently trespass on public roads, causing traffic havoc and hardship for residents. While merchants should be held responsible, the primary accountability resides with the authorities concerned, whose role is to regulate and preserve order. A balanced alternative is to create authorised vending zones near marketplaces where vendors can set up temporary kiosks without interrupting traffic flow. In addition, stringent rule enforcement through regular monitoring and sanctions for infractions might serve as a deterrent. Both livelihoods and public comfort can be preserved if authorities offer well-marked, organised locations and vendors cooperate by adhering to restrictions. Clear guidelines, awareness campaigns and shared accountability are the way ahead to avoid the annual mess while maintaining the festive brightness.

Tamanpreet Kaur Khangura

Serve notices to encroachers

The festive season is approaching and with that encroachments on public spaces are rising. Encroachments on roads and pavements hinder the smooth flow of traffic, besides obstructing the passage of emergency vehicles like ambulances and fire brigades, risking the lives of people. Shopkeepers and vendors display their items outside their shops by encroaching upon roads, leaving little space for pedestrians and motorists. Every market witnesses traffic snarls and parking woes. The situation becomes a complete mess during festivals. A large number of make-shift shops also come up to sell various items. The authorities concerned should serve legal notices and issue warnings to violators. If they ignore such warnings, the civic body should act against encroachers by conducting demolition drives. Awareness should be created among shopkeepers for following the prescribed norms. The tehbazaari wing of the MC should keep a regular check on encroachments in market areas.

RS Sembhi

Prepare plans ahead of festive season

Every festival brings joy, colours and celebration, but it also brings a familiar chaos on our roads. Shopkeepers and vendors spread their stalls onto public streets, leaving little space for vehicles or pedestrians. Who, then, is responsible—the vendors or the authorities? Vendors are not entirely faultless. By occupying the roads, they knowingly disturb the flow of traffic. Yet, many of them are poor and depend on the festive season to earn their yearly income. For them, it is less of a choice and more of a compulsion. They see it as an opportunity. The authorities, however, carry greater responsibility. It is their duty to regulate public spaces, provide proper marketplaces and maintain order. When they fail to plan or enforce rules, the burden falls unfairly on the public. Thus, while vendors share some blame, the larger responsibility lies with the authorities, who must balance livelihood with public convenience.

Veerpal Kaur

Govt must think of sustainable solution

In this issue, the fault lies equally with both sides — the shopkeepers and vendors who encroach upon public roads, and the authorities who fail to control them. To address this problem effectively, people must be made aware and encouraged not to purchase goods from vendors who block roads, as public support often encourages such practices. At the same time, strict action should be taken so that no one is allowed to occupy public spaces meant for free movement of citizens. The authorities concerned should remain vigilant and ensure that proper checks are maintained, especially during the festival season when such encroachments increase. However, instead of punishing vendors alone, the government must think of a sustainable solution. Those who depend on vending for survival should be given alternative opportunities. Providing them with temporary stalls in designated areas or offering small-scale employment options during the festive season can reduce this problem. A balanced approach of regulation, awareness and livelihood support is the only way forward.

Ishpreet Kaur

Create safe-vending zones in city

Every year during the festive season, roads become overcrowded as vendors and shopkeepers set up their stalls in public spaces. While their need to earn a livelihood is understandable, the impact on society cannot be ignored. Road encroachments cause traffic jams, accidents and inconvenience for thousands of commuters. In my view, both vendors and authorities share responsibility, but the larger share lies with the administration. Street vendors often belong to weaker economic sections, and for them, festivals are the only time to earn extra income. Expecting them to manage traffic or follow strict rules without proper guidance is not realistic. It is the job of municipal bodies and police to regulate public spaces, provide designated vending zones, and ensure smooth traffic flow. If authorities plan ahead and create safe vending spots, vendors can earn their living without causing chaos, and citizens can enjoy festivals peacefully.

Harneet Kaur Waraich

Vendors must be held responsible for chaos

This responsibility belongs to traditional vendors. The vendors who occupy public roads during the festival days should be aware that when they use the public space in the bazaar or market, it is their responsibility to clean the mess in front of their shops. During the festival season, when we buy goods in the bazaars, we should not create unnecessary waste. Otherwise, we will all lose. Instead of being passive, we should be proactive in planning for the festival. Most vendors and small shopkeepers work on thin margins and depend heavily on festivals.

Sunny

Designate more traffic personnel

The festival season is around the corner and so are traffic snarls. It’s an age-old practice for vendors to put up stalls on the road. They look up to this time of the year to reap good profits. And so do we —the consumers. We love the vibe of hanging lanterns, bandhanwars, rangoli colours, diyas etc that keeps the festive spirit alive, but what we all despise is the long hours in traffic jams and congestion wherever we go. Here, the onus definitely lies on the authorities concerned to monitor the working of vendors and manage traffic smoothly. Special areas can be designated along with extra traffic personnel to maintain smooth flow.

Simran Sidhu

Authorities have greater role to play

Responsibility for road encroachments is shared between vendors and the authorities concerned. Vendors often set up shops or stalls on public roads, sidewalks or in markets. By doing this, they block traffic, cause inconvenience to pedestrians, and create safety problems. When vendors occupy roads, they break traffic rules and public safety regulations. At the same time, authorities are responsible for controlling these activities. They should check and stop people from blocking roads. When authorities do not enforce the rules properly, the problem becomes bigger, and traffic jams and accidents increase. Legally, vendors are responsible because they break the law. But in reality, authorities are more responsible because they have the power to stop encroachments and keep roads clear. Both vendors and authorities share the responsibility, but authorities have a greater role in maintaining order. Everyone benefits when roads are free and safe for traffic and pedestrians.

Ramandeep Kaur

Public, admn should work in tandem

During festivals, when shopkeepers and hawkers occupy the roads, it causes a lot of inconvenience to the people in terms of traffic snarls. Shopkeepers should understand that the roads belong to everyone, not just for business. This responsibility falls on both the Municipal Corporation and the general public. Anyone who breaks the rules should be fined so that they don’t make the same mistake again. Sometimes when there is a traffic jam, emergency services vehicles also face trouble, which causes can lead to a loss of lives. Everyone will have to work together to control this situation.

Prabhjot Kaur

Maintaining balance is best solution

Every year during the festival season, shopkeepers and vendors put up their stalls on roadsides. While this adds to the festive spirit, it also creates traffic jams and chaos for common people. The question is, who should take responsibility? Vendors cannot be blamed because earning during festivals is important for them. However, they must also understand that blocking public roads causes inconvenience and can even lead to accidents. The local authorities and police are responsible for keeping public spaces clear. If they allow encroachments or ignore them, the problem worsens. The best solution is balance. The authorities should provide special market areas for vendors. Vendors should also cooperate and avoid main roads.

Navneet Singh

Make no-vehicle zones in markets

Every year, as the festive season arrives, our markets light up with colours, sweets and joy. But along with this celebration comes a problem. The roads are thrown into chaos due to stalls set up by shopkeepers and vendors. The result is traffic jams, frayed tempers and even accidents. Though vendors are often blamed, many of them are poor daily earners who see the festival as their only chance to earn extra money. The real responsibility lies with the authorities, whose duty is to ensure proper planning and regulation. Sadly, instead of being supported, these vendors are sometimes treated harshly by the police. This situation can be managed by introducing no-vehicle zones in markets, creating designated vending areas and ensuring strict monitoring. Festivals should bring joy, not chaos, and the authorities must act to protect both livelihoods and public convenience.

Avleen Kaur

Offer temporary spaces to vendors

Population is increasing day by day, and as a result, roads are already congested with vehicles and pedestrians even in normal times. During the festive season, this problem becomes far more severe. Roads, whether large or small, are overcrowded because families wish to purchase new items for celebrations. Shopkeepers and vendors take this opportunity to maximise their sales by setting up temporary stalls and displaying goods. While large business owners often have organised spaces for selling, small-scale vendors usually lack proper areas to conduct business. Consequently, many of them encroach upon public roads, which leads to congestion, traffic delays and even accidents. Ordinary people, such as office workers and students, also suffer during this time because heavy traffic prevents them from reaching their destinations on time. Many are forced to drive hastily when they are running late, which significantly increases the risk of road accidents. It is true that vendors are partly responsible for this chaos since they knowingly occupy public roads. However, the greater responsibility lies with the authorities. Municipal bodies and local governments are expected to regulate public spaces, especially during peak seasons. If they allocate proper market areas at affordable rents, small vendors will have a fair chance to sell their products without disturbing road traffic.

Simranjeet Kaur

Enhance vigilance during festive season

The festive season generally leads to a surge in temporary encroachments on roads and in public places. These encroachments pose serious challenges to public safety. Though it should be the moral responsibility of shopkeepers to desist from all such encroachments which can cause inconvenience to the public in one way or another but I personally feel that regulation and authority should be exercised to check these encroachments. Blocked roads increase the risk of traffic chaos and accidents. Strict enforcement measures should be undertaken for the same. Municipal teams should be deployed to remove encroachments and penalise offenders. Further, collaboration between traffic police, municipal bodies and local administration is a must as far as regulation and implementation is concerned.

Jandeep Kaushal

Erratic enforcement of laws major problem

The chaos due to road encroachment during festivals is rarely the fault of a single group; it’s a systemic failure where responsibility is shared, but the greater responsibility typically lies with the authorities meant to regulate them. We know that most vendors are aware that they are encroaching upon public roads. Their primary motivation is economic survival and capitalising on high footfall, which often overrides concerns about regulations. These are the direct agents of the encroachment. Their stalls, carts and goods are the physical objects blocking the road and sidewalks and the chaos is amplified by the crowds they attract, the haphazard parking of their customers’ vehicles and the accumulation of waste from their operations. The authorities bear a greater share of the responsibility because their role is proactive and systemic, whereas the vendors’ role is reactive and individual. The fundamental duty of civic authorities is to plan for public space usage. The chaos is a direct result of a failure to create designated vending zones. Authorities fail to identify and formalise safe, accessible and high-footfall areas for vendors during festivals. Festival seasons are predictable. Authorities should have traffic management plans and dedicated officials deployed to manage the increased activity. The absence of this is a planning failure. Inconsistent enforcement is a major problem. If laws against encroachment are only sporadically enforced (often leading to corruption and bribes), it creates an environment where breaking the rule is the norm.

Mohammad Saleem

Onus on regulating authorities

For vendors this is their primary source of livelihood, especially during the festival season. The lack of affordable, legal vending spaces pushes them into illegality. If the authorities have not provided sufficient, well-located and affordable designated vending zones, the vendors are essentially forced to operate where the customers are. Often, encroachment is unofficially tolerated for most of the year, creating a precedent that makes it seem acceptable during festivals. Municipal authorities have a poor planning, consistent enforcement could prevent chaos. Authorities fail here by reactive vs proactive action: they often act only after chaos has ensued (eg, after an ambulance cannot pass) instead of preventing the encroachment in the first place. Sometimes, officials turn a blind eye in exchange for bribes, making them complicit in the problem they are meant to solve. In many countries, laws like India’s Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, place a legal obligation on authorities to survey vendors, issue licences and create vending zones. Failure to implement these laws is a direct dereliction of duty. While individual vendors are the visible cause of the chaos, the authorities bear the greater responsibility. The vendors’ actions are a symptom of a larger failure in urban governance, planning, and regulation. The authorities have the power, the mandate and the resources to create solutions (designated vending zones). The primary onus for preventing and resolving the resulting chaos lies with the regulating authorities.

Farzana Khan