Cities are not identified only by tall buildings, wide roads and shining markets. The real picture of a city is visible on its roads, footpaths, alleys and public places. When these public places come under the grip of encroachment, the life of the common man slowly starts crawling behind the glitter of development. Encroachment today is no longer a problem limited only to setting up shops on the roadside or keeping goods on the footpath. Encroachment of road land, construction over drains, permanent shops on footpaths, use of public spaces in the name of parking and illegal construction spreading even in the streets has affected the order of cities. The biggest brunt of this is borne by the citizen who has neither the power, nor the influence, nor the time to continuously fight the system.
Roads are small, problems are big
The most direct impact of encroachment is on traffic. A large part of the road which was constructed for the convenience of vehicles and pedestrians is given over to shops, carts, parking or construction material. As a result, the useful width of the road reduces and the traffic pressure increases. Taking hours to cover a distance of a few kilometers is now not uncommon in many cities. Vehicles keep burning fuel, people lose time and pollution keeps increasing. Ultimately it is the common man who pays the price of this entire system.
Footpath missing, pedestrians worried
The purpose of a footpath is to provide safe passage for pedestrians. But when the footpath is occupied by shops, vehicles, advertisement boards and temporary constructions, the pedestrian is forced to walk on the road. Elderly people, children, women and disabled citizens are the most troubled in such situations. Collision between pedestrians walking on the road and speeding vehicles increases the risk of accidents. The question is, why should the citizen for whom the footpath was built be forced to move away from the same footpath?
Encroachment increases the problem of waterlogging
A serious and often ignored consequence of encroachment is waterlogging. Due to construction on drains and drainage paths, rain water is unable to find its natural path. At many places, drains are covered or their size is reduced to such an extent that the flow of water gets obstructed. As soon as it rains, the roads turn into ponds. Water enters houses and shops, traffic comes to a standstill and citizens have to suffer for hours. Every year, after waterlogging, efforts are made to clean up and dig drains, but if the drainage routes continue to be encroached upon, how will the problem be solved permanently?
Question of encroachment and corruption
Is encroachment merely a result of administrative weakness or is there collusion at some level behind it – this question arises again and again. Permanent possession of a road or public land does not happen in a day. First there is temporary occupation, then it gradually takes a permanent form and finally citizens start accepting it as a normal situation.
If the rules are clear and government land is monitored then how do illegal constructions continue to stand for years? If action is taken then how do the same places get filled with encroachments again after some time?
These questions cannot be answered by blaming only the small shopkeeper or the street vendor. The system will also have to see who gives the opportunity to encroachment to flourish and who stops it from re-emerging after action is taken.
Employment versus the system—the difficult side of the problem
There is another aspect to the action of removing encroachment. A large number of small shopkeepers, street vendors and people doing sidewalk business depend on public spaces for their livelihood. Their livelihood is affected due to sudden removal of goods. So the solution does not lie only in bulldozing or forced removal. The administration will have to develop systematic vending zones, alternative markets and adequate parking arrangements. Saving the livelihood of the poor as well as public roads – this balance will be the real administrative success.
Law should be equal for everyone
The biggest requirement in taking action against encroachment is equality. If a small shop of a poor person is removed but a big illegal construction of an influential person remains standing for years, then the faith of the citizens in the law and administration weakens.
Law has meaning only when it is applied without discrimination. Whether the person occupying the road is a small shopkeeper or a big businessman or someone building illegal construction on public land – the rules should apply equally to all.
Cities aren't just for vehicles
In urban planning, emphasis is often laid on widening roads, building flyovers and increasing traffic, but the needs of the pedestrian citizen do not get that much importance. A truly healthy city is one where one can walk safely, have easy access to public transport and does not suffer from waterlogging during rainy days.
Removing encroachment should not be just a campaign to vacate the road. This should be a process of reclaiming the city back for the citizens.
When will the life of the common man get faster?
Today, a large section of the common citizen wastes unnecessary time in traffic, jam, parking and waterlogging in their daily life. A distance that should be covered in a few minutes is covered in hours. This is the situation that can be said – cities are growing, but the life of the common man is crawling.
A permanent solution to the problem of encroachment is possible only with political will, administrative honesty and better urban planning. The picture will not change merely by running a campaign. After removing the encroachment, regular inspection of the place, digital records, clear parking policy, organized vending zone and accountability of the responsible officers will have to be fixed.
Roads belong to the public, footpaths belong to the public, drains belong to the public and public land is also public property. When these are captured, the loss is not only to the government but to the entire society.
There is a need that the campaign to free the cities from encroachment should not be made a mere cosmetic action. The administration will have to maintain a balance between the livelihood of the poor and the rights of the citizens. Only then will the roads in the cities open, waterlogging will reduce, traffic will improve and most importantly, the life of the common man will be able to move forward instead of crawling.