Visakhapatnam: Depriving pedestrians of accessible walkways, hawkers have taken over most footpaths and bus stops in Visakhapatnam. This has become a pervasive problem that spans the entire city.
In various key junctions of the city, makeshift vending kiosks have sprung up along the footpaths. Some individuals have even started leasing these kiosks to others.
For example, the once serene MVP Colony has now become an informal eat street, with hundreds of kiosks erected on both sides of the roads. A similar situation exists in China Waltair and Beach Road. The areas in and around Jagadamba Junction, Daba Gardens, NAD Junction, Gopalapatnam, Akkayyapalem, Seethammadhara, among others, have been experiencing the same situation.
Despite repeated crackdowns by authorities, these kiosks reappear within days. For example, the authorities cleared several such kiosks in the One Town area on Monday, but nobody knows how many days they will be free of these encroachments. These actions often provide only temporary relief. Without consistent enforcement and sustainable solutions, the footpaths inevitably return to their crowded state.
This occupation has consequences for pedestrians. Footpaths, meant to provide safe passage, are congested with stalls, forcing people onto the streets and into the path of oncoming traffic. This has become a hazardous endeavour, especially for the elderly, school-going children, and those with disabilities.
The situation is exacerbated in areas where these kiosks are not just temporary setups but part of an organised system. Vendors who lease out their spots create a semi-permanent fixture on the footpaths. For example, in Peda Waltair, juice shops and paan shops are being operated out of bus stops.
Speaking to TOI, N Satyanarayana, a retired banker in the MVP Colony area, said that it points to the need for an approach that balances the livelihood of street vendors with the rights of pedestrians. “Creating designated vending zones could be a viable solution, providing vendors with legitimate space to conduct business without impeding public thoroughfares. This will reduce the public nuisance being raised by these encroachments,” said Satyanarayana.
Jana Sena corporator P Murthy Yadav said that the solution is not merely about removing kiosks but about addressing the socio-economic factors that lead to such encroachments. “Livelihoods are at stake, but so is the well-being of the broader population. We have long been demanding the GVMC to set up dedicated vending zones,” said Yadav.
The GVMC in the past has planned specific areas in the city to establish vending zones and relocate vendors. Apart from setting up a night food street on Old Jail Road, little has materialised from these plans.
