Rampant encroachment of Paltan Bazar with the shops extending and the cars being parked in disordered fashion, defying norms, has been spawning traffic jams almost daily to the woe of all who frequent the oldest market of the city for various purposes. Observers say things are in a mess with the rules and norms being thrown to the winds. “The situations might worsen unless the traffic brass sits up and put them on right tracks,” one of them said.
True, police have asked the shopkeepers several times to remove their products displayed outside their shops, but to no avail. Things are compounded during the festive times when the shop-keepers, desperate to swell their sales, encroach areas outside their shops to display their special festival items. Terrific traffic congestion is what results from such defiance of the rules.
The shoppers complain that the shop-keepers not allowing their vehicles to get parked in front of their shops are forcing them to have their vehicles parked in places not meant for parking. “There is no parking place in the market. What can we doIJ” asked one of such shoppers. Another said that though the shoppers prevent them from parking their vehicles in front of their shops they themselves encroach areas beyond their shops to display their items. However, the shoppers and others getting in the bustling market with four- wheelers are worsening things for all.
Anil Jaiswal, a shopkeeper, admitted that his brethren displaying their items beyond the areas of their shops has been triggering traffic congestion in the market. “It is not that every one of us is doing the same. But a section of them doing this is enough to make traffic get stuck,” he added.
Rajeev Kumar, a garment dealer, said he often asks the people to remove the vehicles parked outside his shop. “This is a problem as many of those who park vehicles take hours to remove them. This affects our sale,” he said.
One lokesh trading from Rama Market said people bringing their vehicles inside the market is deepening the already acute congestion. “Vehicles are being parked hither and thither, narrowing the shrinking market space. They like to park vehicles outside the permanently closed shops. But this even adds to traffic congestion in the market area,” he added.
Santosh Singh who was found buying stuff said that the people as well as the shopkeepers are squarely responsible for the mess. “The people should park their vehicles at the authorized parking slots and the shopkeepers should not extend their shops with items being displayed beyond their boundaries. But the real role to solve the problem rests with the law- enforcers. Unless they shed their casual approach and take the problem head-on the mess is unlikely to be solved,” he added.