Police ensure smooth traffic flow on Gandhi Setu. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, May 10: Smooth flow of traffic on Gandhi Setu has brought back smiles on the faces of commuters but not everybody in the state capital is happy.

The roadside vendors, who used to carry out brisk business courtesy vehicles stuck on the bridge for hours, have been hit hard.

More than 100 roadside vendors on Gandhi Setu have been left crying over slump in business. Earlier, there was hardly a day without jams on the bridge, as vehicles came to a standstill for around eight to 10 hours. That is no longer the case. The vendors are finding it tough even to do business of Rs 100 a day, as vehicles are not allowed to stop on the bridge, in compliance with chief minister Nitish Kumar’s directive of making commuters’ lives easy.

Ram Naresh, a vendor on the bridge, said: “Don’t ask me. The business turnover has nosedived since traffic jams have been eased on the bridge. Vehicles would earlier stand at the same place for more than five to seven hours. We were the only source of providing edibles amid the jam, so commuters used to buy from us. But the condition is no more the same. People, now, don’t even stop their vehicles to buy mineral water — they just keep on moving ahead without stopping.”

The scene for the vendors, who used to sell mineral water, fruits and sweets to the commuters stuck in jam, has completely changed. Now, it’s a struggle for them to get a good price for their items from the commuters, who take a chance to stop. The vendors are left running behind the vehicles, as they move ahead once the cops chase the vehicle away.

Sukhdev Prasad, another vendor regretting the smooth traffic on the bridge, said: “Our main revenue used to come from passengers on the buses that would ply on the bridge. There was a time when we boarded the buses to sell our wares. We had a lot of time in hand but now the conductors don’t let us board the bus. The cops would come and fine them Rs 1,000 if they stop on the bridge, so they don’t want to take any risk.”

Chiman Ram, a vendor who sells fruits on the bridge, said: “Until and unless the vehicles stop, how can we sell our products? There is no time to exchange our items and money even if the vehicles slow down.”