More than 100 days after the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) launched its citywide anti-encroachment campaign to reclaim footpaths from illegal hawkers, the initiative has fallen well short of its objective, with vendors continuing to occupy pedestrian spaces across the city.
The drive, launched on April 18 under the direction of Municipal Commissioner Dr. Vipin Itankar, sought to clear footpaths in all 10 municipal zones and make them safe and accessible for pedestrians. However, despite repeated enforcement actions, many of the city’s busiest roads continue to witness widespread encroachments.
Residents and commuters say little has changed on the ground. In commercial hubs and residential localities alike, footpaths remain blocked by unauthorised vendors, forcing pedestrians to walk on roads alongside moving traffic and increasing the risk of accidents.
Although the NMC’s Enforcement Department carried out regular anti-encroachment drives in busy areas such as Sitabuldi, Mahal and Gandhibag, the impact has been short-lived. Vendors often return to the same locations shortly after enforcement teams leave, raising questions over the effectiveness of the campaign.
According to data from the Enforcement Wing, civic authorities seized 336 stalls during anti-encroachment operations conducted between April 15 and July 26.
Assistant Commissioner of the Enforcement Wing, Sanjay Kamble, said the department intensified its operations and conducted daily drives throughout the campaign. He added that the action against illegal encroachments will continue in an effort to ensure pedestrians have access to unobstructed footpaths across the city.
Street vendors, however, argued that repeated eviction drives do not address the root of the issue. Many said vending is their only source of livelihood and urged the civic body to create designated vending zones instead of carrying out recurring crackdowns.
Vendors also claimed that Nagpur has more than one lakh hawkers, many of whom continue to operate without a permanent alternative. They appealed to the NMC to formulate a comprehensive policy that would legalise eligible vendors and relocate them to authorised locations, saying such a move would protect livelihoods while also helping regulate street commerce and keep public spaces organised.
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