|
Where: The stretch in front
of NRS Hospital in Sealdah
What we saw:
From items required for the last rites to fortune-tellers,
small eateries to shanties, the pavement plays host to it
all
CMCspeak: ?Police
are enforcing the rule that pedestrians must stick to the
pavements. If they approach us for logistic support to clear
the pavements, we are ready to provide it. They have not
approached us for that till now? ? municipal commissioner
Alapan Bandyopadhyay
|
| Reva Devi |
Copspeak: ?Our
duty is to ensure that people use the pavements. But where
is the space to walk on the pavement? With shops of every
kind, there is hardly any space left for the pedestrian?
? a policeman on duty
Pedestrianspeak:
?Walking on the footpath is so difficult, even dangerous.
There is hardly any space here, with not just shops but
also shanties. I once fell down while negotiating the pavement.
Ever since, I feel safer walking on the street. If a policeman
catches me, I protest? ? Reva Devi from Behala
Where: Pavement
adjacent to Writers? Buildings
What we saw:
The foodies? footpath, with hawkers dishing out everything
from Chicken Biryani to Chilli Chicken. The only thing not
in sight is the pavement for people to walk on
CMCspeak: ?We
cannot act unless the government instructs us to do so.
So many people have such reasonably-priced food there? ?
Chandana Ghosh Dastidar, member, mayor-in-council (solid
waste management)
Copspeak: ?It
has always been like this. The burning stoves and the lack
of space force many pedestrians off the footpath? ? a traffic
official
(Pictures by Pradip Sanyal)
Where: Brabourne
Road
What we saw: Hawkers
and shop-owners who spread their wares here have taken over
the entire breadth of the pavement. No pedestrian is allowed
a foothold
CMCspeak: ?We
had cracked down on illegal encroachments three months ago
after a high court directive. But they are back. More than
the hawkers, the shop-owners have encroached on the pavements
by displaying their products? ? Chandana Ghosh Dastidar
|
| Sourav Ghosh |
Copspeak: ?It
is a lost cause here. Most people using this road are hardly
aware that there is a pavement! As a result they all walk
on the road, adding to the chaos on such a busy stretch?
? traffic police official on duty.
Pedestrianspeak:
?I take this route quite often and have to walk down Brabourne
Road only because the footpath is so congested. I
know it is dangerous but then negotiating the footpath is
next to impossible?? Sourav Ghosh from Kestopur. |
