Initially, e-rickshaws were considered to be a boon as they connected visitors from metro station to the market. But now this convenience has turned into a curse
Heavy footfall in Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk areas has attracted a lot of e-rickshaws to operate in the area. Initially, the e-rickshaws were considered to be a boon as they connected visitors from the metro stations to the market. But now this convenience has turned into a curse for the pedestrians as it has left no space for them to even walk.
The footpaths have been occupied by the shopkeepers leaving no room for market visitors and traders. Similarly, illegal and irregular parking have claimed space on the roads making it impossible for pedestrians to walk.
Although sometimes market visitors can be seen using the footpaths for carrying luggage or bags, a walk on these footpaths is difficult as the majority of it's space is occupied. This leads to overcrowding and chaos.
"We can imagine the plight of customers. On occasions when we have to walk on these footpaths, we feel the struggle. The chances of pick-pocketing are high," said Suresh Verma who runs a wedding craft shop.
Apart from the e-rickshaws and encroached footpaths, pedestrians and traders have been facing an acute shortage of parking space. Due to the redevelopment process, the parking space used by the traders has been rendered 'Out of Service' but the traders claim that the authorities have failed to provide them with an alternative parking space which has brought problems.
"Earlier, we had a parking space near our market, so many of us who used to come from border areas had proper parking facility. But now, we have been demanding a parking space near the Red Fort so that the traders are not forced to park on roads," said RK Ram, an electronics shop owner in Chandni Chowk.
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