The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Tuesday launched an anti-encroachment drive on Sitabuldi Main Road soon after the Sitabuldi Merchants Association submitted a memorandum to mayor Neeta Thakre alleging rampant hawking, selective action and corruption by ground-level civic staff in one of the city’s busiest commercial zones.
According to the association, although Sitabuldi Main Road has officially been declared a ‘no hawking zone’, hawkers continue to occupy large portions of the stretch from Mahajan Market to Parekh Jewellers and the entrances of Modi Lane Nos 1, 2 and 3. Traders claimed the encroachments have been causing severe congestion and inconvenience to customers, commuters and even emergency services.
Following the complaint, NMC teams reportedly carried out an anti-encroachment operation in the area. However, members of the traders’ body alleged that the action was short-lived. “After we informed the mayor about the situation, she instructed officials to act and the drive was conducted. But every time action is taken, the hawkers return within minutes,” said a member of the association.
In the memorandum, the association alleged that some ground-level civic personnel were failing to enforce anti-hawking rules effectively. Traders claimed that in several cases, officials appeared to document the situation or click photographs only after hawkers had temporarily vacated the area, while encroachments allegedly resumed soon afterwards.
The association also levelled serious allegations of bribery against certain civic staff members, claiming that some officials were allegedly accepting small payments to allow hawkers to continue operating in the no-hawking zone.
Traders further accused the civic administration of selective enforcement, alleging that action was often taken against shopkeepers while hawkers occupying parking spaces outside the same establishments were ignored. They claimed mannequins and display items belonging to legitimate businesses were removed during drives, while illegal occupation of roads and footpaths allegedly continued unchecked.
According to the association, the situation worsens considerably on Sundays when the number of hawkers rises sharply and enforcement activity allegedly weakens despite civic staff being present on duty.
The memorandum demanded immediate and sustained action against illegal hawking on Sitabuldi Main Road, a transparent inquiry into the alleged misconduct and bribery involving enforcement staff, and stricter monitoring to ensure consistent implementation of no-hawking regulations.
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