Sarojini Nagar, a market visited by thousands of people on a daily basis including foreigners barely has any space for pedestrians. The footpaths are either narrow or have been encroached upon by the vendors and hawkers. The market trader associations who have pleaded to the civic authorities several times stated that the situation will only get worse and not improve.

Sarojini Nagar area in South Delhi, known for its market places and considered a pocket shopping paradise sees a footfall of around 10,000-20,000 people on a daily basis. The number doubles up during festive season and weekends. For a common man to walk in Sarojini Nagar market area is nothing less than racing against time as you can not anticipate what your next step may lead to and how you would get past it.

Footpaths are mostly encroached upon by the homeless using them as shelters, vendors, and have become a katta for some too. All this makes it difficult for people to even maneuver their way on the footpath. "It's a task to even walk on the footpath here. It easily takes someone around 15-20 minutes on a busy week day to walk a distance of just 50 metres," said a resident of the area.

Ashok Randhawa, president of the Sarojini Nagar market association said "The numbers of hawkers have gone up. There are about 5000 of them and the number is going up by the day. There has been no objection or background verification done."

Sarojini Nagar market as per locals was in 1952 allotted to the refugees and around 200 shops were present that time. The market is surrounded by the government housing complexes and offers a range of goods from vegetables to clothes to plants to furniture to food stalls.

Residents and shopkeepers demand strict action by the authorities.

THEY SAID...

"Parking on both side of the roads and encroached footpaths is an issue we have been trying to deal with for years. We even write to the civic authorities to ensure that people occupying the footpaths are removed but it is a vicious circle and everyone returns back once the officials leave."— Ashok Randhawa, President of the Sarojini Nagar Mini Market Association

"Looking at the current scenario the situation can only get worse than this and it would reach a point wherein people would take half an hour to move a small distance in the market. It is a nexus which runs wherein the money exchange is so much that the grounty has not changed."— Sanjay Bajaj, Shop-Owner

"Since it is Republic Day the security is in place and some entry gates to the market have been shut making it more inconvenient for the pedestrians as we have to walk all around to reach the market. Even to access the toilet we have to take a detour. If the police and other law enforcement agencies work like this on a daily basis then the situation can improve."— Geeta Randhawa, resident