Pune: A road outside Neco Garden Society in Vimannagar has turned into an unauthorised commercial zone because vendors have been selling fast food, tea and other items, reducing carriageway for motorists.An IT park and a large mall in the vicinity fuel the growing number of vendors, coupled with parking on both sides of the road.“Every evening, this place becomes crowded with vendors, customers and parked vehicles. What was once a residential neighbourhood is slowly turning into an unregulated commercial hub. We have been forced to deal with the congestion every day,” said Vaishali Deshmukh, a resident of Neco Garden.Residents have complained that vendors have also been dumping food waste and garbage along the roadside. The accumulation of waste, disposable plates and plastic has left several portions of the road and footpath filthy.“The problem has not been only the encroachment. The garbage was equally serious. After the stalls closed, waste was left on the roadside, and nobody seemed responsible for cleaning it. We have repeatedly complained, but the situation becomes the same after a few days,” said Ashok Khese.Residents claimed that Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) took action against these vendors several times in the past, but those drives have failed to provide a lasting solution. “PMC comes, removes the stalls, and for a few days the road looks normal. The vendors are back at the same spots after a few days, and this cycle has been going on for a long time. We are now frustrated,” said Sharmila Kumar, a Vimannagar resident.Furthermore, the issue is not just about garbage and vendors. The carriageway is also reduced due to the occupancy of the footpath and some parts of the road for stalls. “With vehicles parked on both sides and stalls occupying the road margins, there is very little space for traffic to move. During peak hours, the situation becomes chaotic and unsafe for pedestrians, especially children and senior citizens,” said Vivek Sharma.Officials from the PMC Nagar Road ward office said they had taken action against unauthorised vendors in the area in the past. “We have taken action against the encroachments earlier. The enforcement will now be made stricter, and the area will be monitored to ensure that the vendors do not return,” a ward office official said.Residents, however, said sustained enforcement rather than periodic drives was needed to restore the road and prevent the area from becoming a permanent vending and parking zone.
