Street vendors contribute to traffic congestion
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 16 2016:
The number of street vendors occupying BT Road has been increasing every year.
Likewise footpaths and adjoining road margins of the three Ima Keithels and Thangal Keithel road have been occupied by street vendors and they have been impeding movement of people as well as vehicles.
Continuing with the same trend, adjoining shops have started occupying the footpaths of Paona Keithel road.
The number of street vendors occupying Paona Keithel road from BT Road junction to Jain Digambar Mandir has been increasing rapidly.
Occupation of footpaths by adjoining shops, parking of vehicles in multiple rows along Paona Keithel road and violation of one-way traffic norms have been immensely contributing to traffic congestion.
The situation is further compounded by occupation of the road margins by street vendors.
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The street vendors may have compelling reasons to sell their goods on the dusty roads without any protection from rain and sun but traffic would be blocked totally if their numbers are allowed to grow without any restraint.
Imphal West TCP has been carrying on publicity drive regularly using PA systems asking street vendors to vacate the busy roads but the street vendors pay little attention.
Angouton Khuman, HRD secretary of a student body while speaking to The Sangai Express expressed strong displeasure over piling up of merchandises on the footpath of Paona Keithel road by adjoining shops.
With the footpaths occupied by merchandises, pedestrians have been working below on the road together with the vehicles which are virtually moving bumper to bumper.
However, Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC) is yet to take up any measures to address the problem.
The footpaths of many key roads of Khwairamband Keithel have been literally taken over by adjoining shops, Angouton said.