SWABI, Aug 29: The problem of encroachment has become critical in this district headquarters town and has led to abnormal congestion in its commercial areas. Social workers and local people blamed the tehsil municipal administration for the present state of affairs and said it had failed to control the problem.

Small vendors, whose wares are exhibited over a substantial area of the road, occupy a portion of the footpath in front of almost every shop in the main market area near the Kernel Sher Chowk.

Traders routinely 'charge' these vendors anywhere between Rs50 and Rs60 a day for parking their carts in front of their shops. "I have been paying Rs1,500 a month. If I fail to do so he will never allow me to do business in front of his shop," a vendor said.

When asked why TMA officials did not prevent them from occupying the footpath, many vendors alleged that they were interested in their own money and they never asked them to vacate the area.

It was learnt that the TMA was helpless against traders and whenever any plan was devised to eliminate encroachment, it was killed before its implementation.

The situation becomes worse in the evening when all vendors rush to the main chowk to dispose of their day-to-day stock, making it too difficult for vehicles to pass through on the road.

Pedestrians, particularly get annoyed when they find it difficult to move about in the market. Some of them say they fail to understand the purpose of constructing footpaths if they are to walk on the road and why does the TMA fail to remove vendors from their illegal occupied spaces all over the city.

The city appeared to be without its usual encroachment only on the day when an important official like the governor or the chief minister visit the district, the people said, adding that it seemed that they were 'advised' to stay away only on that particular day. But after the visit was over, it was business as usual for them and they carried out their business with impunity.

"The TMA has rented out a place for vendors near the old Jehangira Bus Stand. They have been asked to shift there but none of them appears to be willing to accept the plan to clean up the main bazaar," said an official.