3 weeks ago
Encroachment Removal Drives Fail to Reclaim Hyderabad's Footpaths
Footpaths are special paths next to roads that are meant for people to walk on safely.
In some parts of Hyderabad, many footpaths are blocked by food stalls, shops and parked vehicles.
Because of this, walkers have to go onto the road where cars and buses drive.
Walking there is risky and tiring.
The city's workers sometimes remove the stalls to clear the footpaths.
But the stalls often come back within days or even hours.
Pedestrians say they have faced this problem for many years.
They want the authorities to keep the footpaths clear and safe.
City officials say the clearing work is still going on.
Encroachment removal drives by municipal corporations in the CURE area have brought little relief to pedestrians in Hyderabad.
The erstwhile GHMC area has 9,013 km of roads but only about 850 km of footpaths, less than 10 per cent of road length.
Footpaths are occupied by stalls, eateries, street vendors, parked vehicles, garbage and construction material across the city.
Pedestrians are forced onto busy roads at locations such as Secunderabad Railway Station, Hitec City, Ameerpet, Abids and Koti.
Cleared vendors often return within days or hours, though municipal officials say drives continue, citing Narsingi Circle as a success.
- Who
- Pedestrians, commuters and cyclists in the CURE area, along with municipal corporations (GHMC, CMC, MMC), street vendors and hawkers
- What
- Encroachment removal drives have failed to reclaim footpaths, which remain occupied, damaged or unusable, forcing walkers onto busy roads
- Where
- Footpaths across the Core Urban Region Economy (CURE) area, including erstwhile GHMC, Cyberabad and Malkajgiri municipal corporation limits in Hyderabad
- When
- Ongoing; data cited from the state government's Socio-Economic Outlook 2024, and the problem has persisted for years
- Why
- Footpaths are encroached by vendors, eateries, parked vehicles, garbage and construction material, and cleared spaces are quickly re-occupied
Pedestrians and residents
Municipal authorities and vendors
Effectiveness of removal drives
Pedestrians and residents
Residents say neither the traffic police nor GHMC officials have taken effective action for years, and cleared footpaths are quickly re-encroached, with stalls returning within days or hours.
Municipal authorities and vendors
Municipal officials maintain that encroachment removal drives are continuing, citing Narsingi Circle where establishments removed during the drive had not returned.
Street vending on footpaths
Pedestrians and residents
Vendors, eateries and parked vehicles occupy footpaths, leaving no space for pedestrians and forcing them onto busy roads.
Municipal authorities and vendors
Street vendors say relocating to lanes with lower footfall leaves them unable to earn a livelihood, so many return to their original high-footfall locations.
Key facts
- Road network (erstwhile GHMC area)
- 9,013 km
- Footpath length (erstwhile GHMC area)
- About 850 km (less than 10% of road length)
- Municipal bodies involved
- GHMC, Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC), Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation (MMC)
- Data source
- State government's Socio-Economic Outlook 2024
- Worst-affected locations
- Secunderabad Railway Station, Rathifile Bus Station, Hitec City, Ameerpet, Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station, Nampally, Abids, Koti
- Impact on commuters
- A roughly 10-minute walk often takes twice as long due to congestion and obstructions
- Enforcement example cited
- Narsingi Circle, where removed establishments have not returned
Quotes
Unnamed street vendor
Street vendor in Gudimalkapur
“"Walking on the footpath often feels like risking one’s life. Even if we move onto the road, we have to negotiate potholes and muddy water. I have been facing this situation every day for years."”
deccanchronicle.com
“"How can I earn a livelihood in a place where there is little footfall?"”
deccanchronicle.com
Pallam Ravi
IT company employee
“"Only a few Metro stations have protected footpaths with grills and other safety measures. Pedestrian safety remains a distant dream."”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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