Janakpurdham Market Faces Recurring Encroachment Issues Despite City Campaigns

Janakpurdham. A few weeks ago, Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City launched a widespread campaign to remove encroachments on sidewalks and roads in the market area. Using city police, vendors' carts and vegetable stalls set up along the roadside were removed, and an effort was made to organize the main market area.

After that campaign, the market area appeared open and organized for a few days, but now the old scene is reappearing in the main market areas of Janakpurdham.

Locals complain that the number of people selling vegetables on sidewalks, placing carts, and setting up shops on the road has increased again in busy market areas like Ramananda Chowk, Ramchowk, and Janaki Chowk. This not only causes problems for vehicular traffic but also creates a risky situation for pedestrians.

According to locals, the municipality's campaign seems to have been a momentary show. They complain that the problem is becoming more complicated due to the tendency of strictness for a few days followed by a return to the old state.

Ravi Thakur, a local from Janakpurdham-7, said, 'Sometimes the municipality deploys city police and removes them, and the traders flee, but after a few hours or the next day, they set up their shops in the same place again. Now, the number of sidewalk vendors has increased again in the market's sidewalks.'

Thakur stated that street vendors are operating their businesses again right in front of the concerned bodies and security agencies. Bir Jha from Janakpur-12 also claims that sidewalks and footpaths have once again turned into commercial spaces.

Thousands of people commute daily in the main market area of Janakpurdham. As a religious city, Janakpurdham also sees significant footfall of domestic and international tourists. In such a situation, the disorganized trade in the market area is directly affecting the city's beauty and management.

Especially in the morning and evening, there is a crowd of vendors selling vegetables, fruits, clothes, and other items along the roadside. Some are encroaching on the road in the style of permanent shops. This narrows the road and adds challenges to traffic management.

Fakira Mahato, Minister of Home Affairs, Communication, and Law of the Madhesh Province government, stated that those who do not comply will be punished. He said, 'We will take action against those who encroach on the road by not complying, but it cannot be done by the minister alone. The cooperation of local government, security agencies, and local citizens is all necessary. This is a shared responsibility.'

There is a lack of coordination between the local level, police administration, and citizens to remove sidewalk encroachments. However, Parmesh Jha, spokesperson for Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City, claimed that city police are regularly monitoring.

According to him, 'Our city police are regularly engaged in checks. We are trying to strictly control the sidewalks, but locals also need to be aware. It is necessary to develop a culture of following rules.'

Local traders, however, cite the compulsion of their livelihood. According to them, they have to trade on the sidewalks because they cannot afford to rent permanent shops.

Urban management experts say that encroaching on public roads in the name of livelihood is not permissible. They suggest that the local government should provide alternative arrangements.

Footpath encroachment in Janakpurdham is not a new problem. For years, campaigns have been run repeatedly in the name of market management, but after the campaign ends, the old situation returns.

Meanwhile, Surya Bahadur Shahi, Police Inspector at the District Traffic Police Office, Dhanusha, clarified that traffic police are performing their duties according to their responsibilities. He said, 'Our main responsibility is traffic management. Taking legal action against sidewalk encroachment falls under the jurisdiction of the local government, but where traffic management is problematic, we also proceed strictly.'

Social worker Anil Das asserted that carts are still openly placed on the road in areas like Ramananda Chowk, Ramchowk, and Janaki Chowk, suggesting a collusion between the local level and the administration.

Footpath encroachment in Janakpurdham is not a new problem. For years, campaigns have been run repeatedly in the name of market management, but after the campaign ends, the old situation returns.

According to locals, the 'removal campaign' alone is not sufficient to solve the problem; a long-term plan is needed.

Stakeholders suggest that separate locations can be designated to manage sidewalk trade. They propose creating organized haat bazaars or open trading areas to accommodate small traders.

Currently, the main problem in Janakpurdham is not just road encroachment, but also the associated traffic jams, risk of accidents, inconvenience to pedestrians, and the city's deteriorating discipline.

Especially during school hours, office hours, and religious events, disorganized trade along the roadside makes crowd management even more difficult.

Local businesses are also affected. Traders operating permanent shops complain that those doing business cheaply on the sidewalks create unfair competition.

Local shopkeeper Rupnarayan Raut said, 'We pay taxes, we pay shop rent, we follow the rules, but when those doing business on the street are not controlled, we are suffering.'

Janakpurdham is an important city in terms of religion, culture, and tourism. As the provincial capital, the disorganization of the city's main market area also affects its image.