Hyderabad: Pedestrians and residents across Hyderabad say walking through several major commercial areas has become increasingly difficult because pavements are occupied by vehicles, vendors and shop extensions. They have welcomed the Telangana High Court’s directions for strict action against illegal parking and footpath encroachments.
From Charminar and Moazzamjahi Market to Ameerpet, Dilsukhnagar, Kukatpally and Secunderabad railway station, footpaths are routinely blocked by parked bikes, temporary stalls, carts and commercial spillover, forcing pedestrians onto busy roads.
“In the Charminar area, people walk on the road more than on the footpath. Half the space is occupied by vendors and the remaining by parked bikes and cars that are leave it here and roam around the place in autos,” said Mohammed Salman, a fabric store owner near Charminar. Right outside the High Court, to the lane leading to the markets are heavily packed with vendors and parked vehicles, he pointed out.
Pedestrians near Moazzamjahi Market and Koti said roadside parking and commercial activity regularly choke internal roads and junctions, especially during evenings and weekends.
“Vehicles are parked on both sides near the market area, and people randomly stop in the middle to shop or eat. You can see a traffic cop standing there, but does nothing about it. It’s difficult even to cross the road properly, forget looking for a footpath,” said Kavya Ranjani, who was in the area to shop and found no way herself to reduce occupying space on the road.
Commuters near Secunderabad station, Lakdikapul, LB Nagar and Miyapur bus corridors said buses, autos and roadside stalls leave little walking space near bus stops and Metro stretches. “Large private buses occupy entire stretches near Dilsukhnagar at night and during boarding hours. Come 8 pm, just two or three buses stop together, and there is barely any road left for other vehicles or pedestrians. The traffic becomes chaotic within minutes,” said Ramesh Yadav, a shop owner in Dilsukhnagar.
Residents near busy food streets and shopping areas such as DLF and Sainikpuri said evenings have become particularly difficult because vehicles are pushed deep into residential lanes.
“People park outside gates and disappear for hours. Sometimes we cannot even take our own vehicle out,” said Lakshman Yadav, a resident living near a temple stretch in Old Alwal.
Several residents said they have started placing flower pots, stones and temporary blocks outside their homes to stop outsiders from parking directly across gates.
In Kukatpally and stretches near Lulu Mall, residents complained that commercial activity frequently spills onto roads and footpaths during weekends.
“Bikes are parked on pavements, food stalls come onto the road, and customers leave vehicles wherever they find space, and honestly, we can’t blame them, they have nowhere else to park,” said Sai Teja, a resident of Kukatpally.
Residents also raised concerns over commercial vehicles being parked overnight inside residential colonies, reducing road space in already narrow lanes.
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