Sambalpur: Street Vendors Displaced for Road Widening; Pushcart Vendors Create Obstruction
• Traffic Problems Worsen
Sambalpur: The road widening project from Fatak to Budharaja up to Ainthapali has been completed. As part of the widening, trees along the roadside were cut, and street vendors were displaced. However, the work on the sides of the road from Fatak to Ainthapali has not been fully completed. Additionally, the condition of the roadside drains remains poor.
The primary cause of this Congestion
Despite efforts to widen the roads, the area continues to experience heavy traffic congestion in the evenings. The pushcart vendors who have now occupied the roadsides are the primary cause of this congestion, which has raised concerns from various quarters. The Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) removed small vendors (selling vegetables, fruits, etc.) from the roadside and relocated them to a vending zone near the PHD grounds. However, from the afternoon onwards, the Fatak-Ainthapali road becomes crowded.
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People are unable to find parking because both sides of the road are occupied by pushcarts. These carts sell fast food, snacks, and other items, which draw crowds. Due to a lack of space, people park their vehicles on the road to buy food, blocking half of the road and frequently leaving little to no room for traffic to pass. This causes significant traffic congestion from Fatak to Ainthapali every evening.
The road widening was intended to reduce traffic congestion, and small vendors were removed from the roadside to prevent crowding. However, there are concerns that the SMC is encouraging the establishment of food stalls and on-street parking, raising questions about their intentions. The ongoing evening traffic congestion has prompted several groups to call on the SMC to take appropriate action.
