SWABI: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf -led government has done a remarkable job by removing encroachments in Anbar and other areas during the ongoing drive in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but it seems the local administration has failed to control the vendors who have been occupying footpaths and roads in the main markets and shopping areas.

The hurdles created by vendors in the main cities are posing a serious threat to lives of pedestrians who have no other option but to walk in the middle of the road.

There are no zebra crossings even in the main Swabi bazaar and the pedestrians could be seen crossing the road by scaling median walls erected to separate the two-lane road.

It was seen during a visit to the main bazaar that the vendors had encroached the main Swabi-Jehangira road from Karnal Sher Khan Chowk to the general bus stand. Same was the case with Swabi-Maneri road.

Gul Bahar of Maneri Bala said that it was difficult to find the way in the link road markets. There is also no footpath available for the pedestrians in the narrow and congested main market of Topi tehsil where the vendors move from different markets to the main road and sell their commodities, mainly fruit and vegetables.

Consumers say that after Asr prayer and especially during the last days Ramazan it is difficult for pedestrians to go through the main markets. “The vendors have even occupied the main drain placing their merchandise on it,” said Liaquat Ali of Topi city.

No place has virtually been left for the pedestrians in Shewa Adda, Razaar tehsil. Here too, no footpath is constructed on either side of the road and the vendors have been blocking the road, making it impossible for the pedestrians to cross it.

The road in Zaida city is narrow and the presence of vendors has further reduced the space for pedestrians’ movement.

The main market of Marghuz city is located at the edge of Zaida-Topi road and majority of vegetable and fruit sellers have shops there.

Yar Hussain is the city where vendors work at their own will and there is no one to check encroachment by them on the main Chota Lahor-Yar Hussain road. The situation in Tordher city is no different.

People visiting the bazaars said that it was the responsibility of the tehsil municipal administrations (TMAs) to ensure that vendors did not occupy the footpaths and roads to ensure smooth flow of traffic and pedestrians’ movement.

They said that the TMA officials should visit the markets and clear all the roads of encroachments. A TMA official said that the rush in the main markets was due to the fast approaching Eidul Fitr. He said that there would be no problems in the markets after Eid.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2015

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