Patna, May 5: Residents of Mahatma Gandhi Nagar in Kankerbagh — most of whom are bureaucrats, judges and senior government employees — dread sunset.

Not because they are nyctophobic but because the 40-ft-broad Kanti Factory Road, which connects the area to the city centre, is reduced to half its size by vegetable vendors, who encroach the thoroughfare every evening.

“It becomes very difficult for us because of the vegetable vendors, who encroach the road every evening,” said Binit Ranjan, a businessman and resident of the area.

He added: “This is a big road. But most of us prefer taking the lanes, as it is so crowded in the evening.”

Like Binit, most residents and visitors to the area prefer to take detours and lanes that are badly maintained.

The crowded road provides a “fertile” ground for thieves and chain-snatchers to practise their profession.

Criminals find it easy picking pockets in the area.

“A few years back, I was buying vegetables when a man snatched my gold chain,” said Renu Srivastava, another resident of the area.

She added: “Pickpocketing, too, was very common. But the number of cases have gone down now.”

The residents of the area are not the only ones suffering. Since it is only a kilometre from Rajendra Nagar railway station, passengers find it difficult to reach the station on time because of the congestion and chaos on the road.

“All major trains to big cities start from this terminal. Reaching the railway station in the evening, however, is very difficult,” said a passenger.

The journey that takes around five minutes in the morning or afternoon takes more than 20 minutes in the evening.

S.S. Srivastava, a retired bank employee, said: “It is very difficult to walk on this stretch because of the large number of motorbikes that zip through the traffic. Cars and SUVs, too, honk all the time. I was even hit by one of the vehicles once.”

Vegetable vendors, however, are reluctant to move from the place.

“I have been selling vegetable here for the past 10 years,” said Manoj Kumar, owner of a roadside kiosk, adding that he has never been asked to vacate his spot by any official.

Sanjay Kumar, another vendor, said: “I have been selling vegetable for a very long time. I don’t think the residents have any problem with it. It is convenient for them to buy vegetables at their doorstep. Also, no official has ever asked us to vacate this place.”

Patna Municipal Corporation officials, however, seemed completely oblivious to the residents’ sufferings.

Shyam Kishor, chief executive officer, Kankerbagh, said: “I have not received any complaints on the issue so far. Now that the matter has been brought to my notice, we will ensure action. But even after we remove the encroachment, what is the guarantee that they will not come back?”