North India Statesman
News India Live, Digital Desk: Today, walking on the streets of Patna is no less than a war. You leave home thinking that you will reach there in 15 minutes, but the illegal stands on the way and the carts standing in the middle of the road spoil your plans.
Footpaths became the property of shops
It is said that the administration runs an encroachment removal drive every few days, bulldozers also run, but as soon as the government vehicle goes back, the market gets decorated again. Most of the roads in Patna are left with footpaths in name only. At some places shoe shops are decorated, while at some places samosas simmering in pans are blocking the way for pedestrians. People are forced to walk on the middle of the road, which not only creates traffic jams but also increases the risk of accidents manifold.
‘Hooliganism’ of illegal rickshaw and auto stand
Encroachment is not limited to shops only. It has become common for auto and rickshaw stands to be built wherever desired in busy areas of the city. Two-three queues of autos form in front of the traffic police personnel, due to which the width of the road is reduced to half. The area around Boring Road and Gandhi Maidan is the biggest witness to this. People spend hours screaming while stuck in the traffic jam, but they defy the illegal parking system and stand proudly.
livelihood vs public facility
There is a sensitive aspect here also. Many street vendors and small shopkeepers earn their livelihood with the help of this encroachment. But the question arises whether one’s path to livelihood should pass through the inconvenience of crores of people? Experts believe that unless a permanent ‘vending zone’ is created for these vendors, it will be difficult for Patna to get rid of the traffic jam.
Reality of smart city claims
In this race for the year 2026, every citizen of Patna is now expecting concrete steps from the administration. Flyovers and shining lights cannot make the city smart unless the common man on the ground can walk comfortably. Looking at the snail’s pace traffic in the city, it seems that Patna now needs “meaningful urban planning” along with “bulldozer-like severity”.
If the situation remains like this, then perhaps the day is not far when there will be roads on the map of Patna, but there will be less land to walk on them.
