Assam: Shopkeepers encroach upon footpaths in Dibrugarh's New Market

A CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH: The footpaths in New Market, Dibrugarh, have been encroached by the shopkeepers causing problems for the pedestrians.

The Supreme Court of India recently reaffirmed that the right to clean and safe footpaths is an essential component of the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. It directed all states and union territories to formulate clear guidelines to ensure pedestrian safety, with specific provisions for persons with physical impairments.

However, in Dibrugarh, the ground reality paints a starkly different picture. Across several key market areas in the town, footpaths remain encroached and obstructed, mainly by shopkeepers who illegally occupy the walkways with goods, display racks, and makeshift extensions.

As a result, pedestrians, including the elderly, women, and people with physical impairments, are forced to walk on the roads, navigating through moving traffic and dangerous conditions. The problem has been further aggravated by the ongoing heatwave sweeping across Assam, with daytime temperatures soaring above normal levels.

While the state government has issued advisories to all district commissioners to take necessary heat-related precautions, including the option of school closures, the safety and mobility of pedestrians appear to have received little administrative focus.

With no access to usable footpaths, pedestrians heading to markets and other essential locations are left with no option but to brave the scorching sun and hazardous traffic conditions on open roads. This poses a dual threat of the risk of heatstroke and dehydration, and a heightened chance of road accidents.

Residents have voiced their frustration over the lack of enforcement and called upon the district administration to take urgent action to clear encroachments and restore the footpaths in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directive. As urbanization accelerates, safe pedestrian infrastructure is no longer a matter of convenience but a constitutional mandate and a pressing public safety concern.

“We are facing problems while walking on the footpaths because they have been encroached by the shopkeepers. The footpaths are meant for walking but it seems that most of them have been encroached in Dibrugarh. The Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation (DMC) keeps evicting the stalls from footpaths but they occupy the same areas again,” alleged a resident.

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