Nagpur: In a disturbing trend, the Enforcement Department of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has been found turning a blind eye to encroachment by illegal vendors, transforming Nagpur into a hub of unauthorized vendors with no consequences. The most recent instance of this negligence is the occupation of the newly constructed cycling track on Wardha Road, a flagship project aimed at enhancing Nagpur’s infrastructure.
Gold Rate
04 April 2025
The Wardha Road project, part of Nagpur’s beautification drive, intended to provide residents with amenities such as selfie points and a meticulously designed cycling track adorned with lush greenery. However, these features have inadvertently attracted illegal vendors, who now operate their businesses without hindrance.
Mini trucks converted into stalls for Chinese food vendors, cold drink shops, earthen pot sellers, and paan vendors now line the cycling track, leaving pedestrians with no safe passage. Despite complaints from local residents and inquiries to the NMC’s Zonal Office, no action has been taken against the encroachment.
The inaction of NMC officials raises suspicions of possible collusion with the encroachers. Questions arise regarding the use of taxpayers’ funds to facilitate these illegal businesses. The rampant encroachment on public spaces poses a significant challenge to pedestrian safety and mobility, with many areas becoming hubs for unauthorized vendors.
Citizens are demanding accountability from the NMC officials, questioning their motives for not initiating action against these illegal businesses. It is the duty of the Enforcement Department to clear encroachments on public spaces, yet they are failing to fulfill their responsibility. As unauthorised vendors continue to proliferate across the city with no enforcement from NMC officials, concerns about their integrity and commitment to public welfare loom large.
