DIPHU, Jul 26: Pedestrians in Diphu market are increasingly facing hardships due to rampant footpath encroachment in several locations of main Diphu market area. Several citizens have also blamed the bazar committee for doing nothing despite open encroachment.
“The encroachment are even done by shops having permanent buildings to display their sales items. The massive encroachment of footpath at the heart of the town is disheartening and is damaging the effort of the Diphu Municipal Board and Diphu Bazar Committee towards making the CEM Dream Project come true,” some of the pedestrians stated.
Among notable shops, Mazumder Electrical & Furniture Shops, Mahabir Bhander Shops, Vinayak Furnishing Shop and MS Gupta Enterprises have also been found publicly encroaching the pedestrian section for display of their commercial items.
When asked the reason for encroachment of public spaces, shop owners claimed that they are paying Rs. 100 as monthly parking tax and Rs. 500 for displaying items for sale.
Following these claims, all eyes are on the Greater Diphu Bazaar Committee and Diphu Municipal Board to see what measures they would adopt to free the pedestrian sections from encroachment by shops as they are entrusted with the task to keep the town free.