Seasonal vendors encroach upon roads, pose threat to life & limb

BHUBANESWAR: Safety of motorists and commuters has become a major concern on several important roads in the city, including National Highway-16, with seasonal vendors encroaching the roadsides.
Several important stretches including Janpath, Madhusudan Marg, Sachivalaya Marg, Jaydev Vihar, Nandankanan Road and Mother Teresa Marg are facing this problem as these roads have become the spots for seasonal vendors to attract buyers.
The vendors, who are mainly from outside the state, usually sell different kinds of items such as battery-operated hand fans, aquariums, shoes, decoration materials such as wall clocks, paintings and more.
As they are unable to find a proper place to sell their wares, they carry out their business on the roadsides. "Hoardings and roadside vendors are the two major distractions for the road users. It always poses a major road safety risk for everyone. The local authorities need to look into the matter seriously," Syed Maqbool Ali, former member of Indian Road Safety Council, said.
"While local vendors encroach the footpaths and cycle tracks to sell their goods, those from outside are forced to carry out business on the roadsides," Md Iqbal, a vendor from Rajasthan sitting on NH-16, said.