Hyderabad: The encroachment of the entire footpath by all kinds of street vendors was causing exasperating vehicular traffic jam at the busy three-road junction at the Journalists Colony in Jubilee Hills for some time. The life of the residents has become miserable due to noise and air pollution and also because of menace of stray dogs.
In spite of tall claims by the GHMC officials and even the minister concerned now and then about footpath clearance, the tribe of footpath encroachers was increasing rapidly with the criminal negligence of the civic staff concerned. Virtually there was no place for the residents to walk on the footpath and forced to wade through the honking vehicles at the risk of their lives.
One person, who was allowed to run a milk booth by the Journalist Housing Society for the convenience of the residents of the colony, has grabbed the entire footpath adjoining the JHS colony and Water Board officer’s bungalow and running a snacks center, meals center and also a pan shop. On the other side of the road, two bamboo shops and a motor car workshop on the edge of the busy road was adding to the woes of pedestrians as well as motorists. Besides, there is a bus stop where Koti-Kondapur and Secunderabad-Film Nagar buses halt for passengers and proceed with great difficulty.
As a result of meals and tiffin centers and pan shop coming up there on the footpath, the spot has become highly polluted and accident-prone with the youths parking their bikes on the road and leisurely smoking cigarettes and chewing gutka and so on. Under the circumstances, pedestrians and motorists of the colony were finding it difficult to cross the road. As a result of the traffic jam and rash driving by bikers and motorists, accidents were taking place now and then. The residents of the colony appeal to the GHMC authorities to launch footpath clearance drive and remove the encroachers forthwith and help reduce air and noise pollution, accidents and health hazards. (NSS)