Unregulated market snarls traffic near Sinhgad Road ward office

Residents have accused the local administration of complete inaction and are calling for immediate intervention by civic authorities and the police

An unregulated roadside vegetable market located barely 500 metres from the Sinhgad Road ward office has become a daily cause of severe traffic congestion. Encroachment by vendors, illegal parking, loudspeaker use, and roadside waste dumping have drastically narrowed the carriageway, resulting in frequent bottlenecks, especially during peak hours.

They note that the market, originally intended only for vegetable sellers, has expanded to include vendors selling clothes and household items, with footpaths taken over by hawkers from nearby villages. (MAHENDRA KOLHE/ HT)

Residents have accused the local administration of complete inaction and are calling for immediate intervention by civic authorities and the police. They note that the market, originally intended only for vegetable sellers, has expanded to include vendors selling clothes and household items, with footpaths taken over by hawkers from nearby villages.

Santosh Sawant, a local resident, said the civic body had constructed a designated vegetable market at another location, but vendors have refused to shift there, citing poor footfall and potential loss of business. 

“When licensed vendors move to the designated stalls, other sellers quickly occupy the roadside space, making it difficult for the original licence holders to run their businesses. This discourages vendors from vacating the area,” he said.

Residents further claimed that encroachments are steadily increasing, and indisciplined vehicle parking has worsened the situation. 

“Although the municipal ward office conducts anti-encroachment drives occasionally, they have had little impact. The problem persists even after these drives,” Sawant added.

Rahul Bokan, encroachment officer at the Sinhgad Road ward office, said, “We have received several complaints regarding traffic congestion and encroachments caused by the roadside vegetable market. At present, our team is engaged in election-related duties. We are also verifying the permissions issued to vendors operating in the area. Once the process is complete, encroachments will be identified, and an anti-encroachment drive will be carried out after the elections.”

He added that the ward office has written to the police department requesting traffic monitoring and management in the interim.

The encroachment issue is not limited to this area alone and has gradually spread to other localities, including Sun City Road and the recently opened canal road near Janata Vasahat. In these areas, vendors have set up unauthorised temporary stalls selling vegetables, fruits, winter clothing and other items. The unchecked expansion of such stalls has resulted in frequent traffic congestion, inconveniencing commuters and residents across multiple stretches.