Roadside vendors, food stalls a nuisance in Amritsar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 17

Pedestrians are an inconvenienced lot as the roads in the vicinity of the Golden Temple and nearby shrines are being encroached upon by roadside vendors restricting their movement. With two-wheelers parked on roadsides and a substantial portion of the roads being used for displaying goods by vendors and shopkeepers, there is hardly any space left for the smooth movement of traffic.

The passages leading from Gheo Mandi to Jallianwala Bagh and the road leading from Gurdwara Ramsar to the Golden Temple, Baba Sahib Chowk, Heritage Street and other passages are encroached upon roadside areas.

Traffic snarls in the area prevail as numerous rehris and food stalls have been installed here. With people visiting these street food stalls in large numbers, traffic comes to a standstill.

Commuters say that at least shopkeepers can be asked not to display their goods on the footpath and streets as it would help mitigate the problem of traffic congestion. Displaying goods outside their shops by shopkeepers can be witnessed throughout the city. The problem causes more trouble in inner city areas where roads and streets are comparatively narrow.

Bachitter Singh, a visitor to the Golden Temple, said, “Even foot walkers find little space to walk. As most people prefer to walk in these streets, efforts should be made to ensure that they can move smoothly.” Residents also demanded that action should be taken against the shopkeepers who charge money from vendors of illegal food stalls and allow them to use the space in front of their shops for commercial purposes.

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