Festive rush chokes market areas as illegal parking and thin policing cripple traffic

Time of India

9 hours ago

1
2
Nagpur: Mahal and Itwari, the city's traditional commercial hubs, have turned into sprawling parking stretches this festive season as thousands throng their congested lanes.
The heavy festive rush, coupled with illegal parking and a thin traffic police presence, has pushed these areas to the brink of gridlock.
Over the past week, thousands of shoppers from across the city have thronged the markets, stretching from Chitnis Square to Ram Cooler Square, then Zenda Chowk, Badkas Square, and deep into the internal lanes of Mahal and Itwari. While major landmarks like Badkas Square occasionally see a police traffic marshal, key junctions remain unmanned for most of the day, leaving vehicles, handcarts, and pedestrians to jostle for space.
Residents in such market areas say the festive chaos has effectively confined them to their homes. "In the evenings, we can't even step out for milk. There's no space to walk, and if you try to take your two-wheeler out, you're stuck for half-an-hour before even reaching the main road," said Shyam Pathekar, a 62-year-old resident of Mahal.
A shop owner at Badkas Chowk said, "Only when VVIPs are visiting the area, you can see police presence there.
The moment they are gone, the situation is back to normal. Leave normal days, even on festive days you can hardly spot a cop at Badkas Chowk, which is a key junction."
Ironically, the Mahal–Itwari belt saw road widening and footpath development over the past two years to accommodate both vehicular and pedestrian movement. But with enforcement lagging, the extra carriageway has simply become more parking space and a dais for hawkers.
Shopkeepers admit that festive-season deliveries and aggressive discount sales have drawn unprecedented crowds, but many blame the absence of continuous traffic monitoring.
The festive traffic surge is expected to last another fortnight. However, several residents say they have seen no sign of increased manpower. "We hear about special drives against illegal parking, but on the ground, nothing changes. By the time a tow truck comes, people have already parked and gone shopping," said Chandrashekhar Deshpande, a commuter who spent 30 minutes covering less than a kilometre.
A senior police official from the cotton market zone told TOI that currently, 32 personnel are deployed on the ground. Due to the festive season of Ganpati, an additional 60-70 personnel are being brought in from other zones for bandobast. He added that the local staff strength is lower than usual due to the festivities. "We plan our deployment accordingly so we have at least 100 cops on duty," he said.
With festival shopping set to peak, traffic police face mounting calls to post additional personnel at key chokepoints, impose stricter towing action, and coordinate with the civic body on vendor regulation. Until then, for shoppers and residents alike, the Mahal–Itwari belt will remain a test of patience — and a lesson in how quickly widened roads can be swallowed by festive chaos.
Stay updated with the latest local news from your
city
on
Times of India
(TOI). Check upcoming
bank holidays
,
public holidays
, and current
gold rates
and
silver prices
in your area.
Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with
Happy Independence Day wishes
,
messages
, and
quotes
!