Vendors back on footpaths days after they are evicted

Ranchi: Vendors have returned to previously cleared spots across many places in the city days after they were removed by the civic body. Despite repeated eviction exercises, encroachments continue to resurface within days, highlighting what many residents describe as a “seasonal” enforcement pattern rather than a sustained solution.Footpaths and road margins in busy localities such as Lalpur, Kutchery Chowk, Daily Market, Station Road and parts of Kanke are again lined with makeshift stalls selling fruits, vegetables, garments and snacks.In the past one week, RMC teams conducted anti-encroachment drives in areas such as Patel Chowk, Naga Baba Khatal and Doranda, removing temporary structures and clearing roadside spaces. However, locals said the relief was short-lived.“After every drive, the area looks clear for a day or two. Then everything comes back to the same spot. Pedestrians are forced to walk on the roads, and traffic jams become routine again, especially during peak hours,” said Dilip Kumar, a commuter near Lalpur Chowk.Residents also point out that the absence of designated vending zones is worsening the problem. “We are not against vendors earning a livelihood, but there has to be a system.

Right now, footpaths are unusable, and vehicles crawl because stalls spill onto the roads,” said Ramesh Das, a shop owner in Kutchery Chowk.Echoing the need for rehabilitation, Ram Pravesh, a veggie seller from Lalpur, said, “We are removed during drives, but there is no alternative place given to us. If the administration wants encroachment to end permanently, they must rehabilitate us. Without that, we are forced to return to the same spots to earn our daily livelihood.”According to an official statement from the civic body, anti-encroachment drives are being conducted regularly across different parts of the city to ensure smooth traffic flow and pedestrian safety. The statement added that repeated action would continue against illegal roadside encroachments and that vendors are being advised to operate only in permitted areas.