AGARTALA, Jan 10 (TIWN): With the traders continuously occupying the footpaths along the roadsides compel the pedestrians to walk on the road thereby putting their lives to risk, but the authorities are still silent over their act.

The shopkeepers and vendors have encroached upon maximum part of the footpaths from Post office chowmuhani to Kaman chowmuhani, which has been creating a lot of problems for the commuters, who are forced to walk in midway of the road and there by leading to massive accidents.

Almost every day the road witness causalities due to accident in the area particularly as pedestrian are forced to walk on road as the footpaths are occupied by the garments store, hotels and fast food stall owners.

Pertinent to mention here that after the widening of the road, in this particular area footpaths were made for the local people who were daily user of this road giving them safe passage to walk. But most of the public footpaths have been occupied by expanding the business establishment. Heaps of junk articles, clothes, displaying of banners and other articles has made the footpath almost invisible, creating inconvenience for pedestrians.

Due to this illegal occupation of footpath people find it troublesome to walk in this road. The locals allege that whenever they complaint to the authorities they have to face embarrassment from the encroachers, as if authorities are hand in glove with these encroachers.

It is quite unfortunate that no one from authorities have launched anti-encroachment drive here against the vendors and shopkeepers encroaching the road and footpath by extending their shops. The shop owners and street vendors are illegally occupying the footpaths during the day leaving no space for the pedestrians.

Occupying the footpath and roads also causes hurdles in the traffic which results in traffic chaos almost every day, and no one dares to leave their children to walk due to encroached footpaths.

It seems that authorities had always put blind eye towards the encroached footpaths and wait until strong resentment is not delivered to make their eyes open and take actions towards encroachment in the city.