Walk-O-Meter Rating: 2/5
Mangaluru: Central Market Road is more than just a busy thoroughfare — it is one of Mangaluru’s busiest commercial lifelines. However, navigating this bustling stretch has become an ordeal, with pedestrians forced to weave through street vendors, parked vehicles and moving traffic as shrinking footpaths leave little room to walk.A TOI reality check along the nearly 1-km stretch around the new Central Market building, which is awaiting inauguration, found encroached footpaths, unregulated parking and vehicles stopping in the middle of the road, turning the narrow stretch into a daily bottleneck.The stretch up to the Bibi Alabi Road junction, opposite Kalpana Sweets, is occupied by street vendors, many of whom have displayed their goods on the walkway. An adjacent autorickshaw stand also reduces the space available for pedestrians. Beyond this point, up to Rupavani Talkies, vehicles are parked along the roadside opposite the under-construction Central Market building. Vehicles halting midway on the road add to chaos and congestion.Although the footpath along this stretch is largely unobstructed, pedestrians often avoid using it because of the continuous line of parked vehicles. The road connects to Car Street and links with GHS Road, making it a vital corridor in the city.
Hanumataraj, a mobile phone shop owner, said customer footfall has declined as visitors struggle to find parking. Traffic police personnel at the spot said fines are imposed on vehicles parked on the market side of the road, while those parked on the opposite side are not penalised.Though no-parking banners have been installed, the lack of adequate walking space forces pedestrians onto the carriageway amid moving traffic. The situation worsens when shoppers gather around street vendors. On Sundays, the stretch becomes so congested that there is hardly any space for either vehicles or pedestrians.Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) officials believe congestion around the new Central Market will ease once the facility is opened. However, neither MSCL nor the Mangaluru City Corporation has clarity on the parking provisions at the new market.MSCL managing director G Santhosh Kumar said the building has a dedicated parking area that is expected to ease the severe space constraints for pedestrians. “The handover process between the concessionaire and the MCC may take some time,” he said.WHAT TOI FOUND (1-km area surrounding Central Market)Footpaths exist but are occupied by street vendors around the Central Market.Vendors stock goods and other items on the road, making it difficult to use both the footpaths and the carriageway.Vehicles parked on both sides of the road till the Bibi Alabi junction discourage the use of available footpaths.Vehicles halting midway on the road increase congestion, forcing pedestrians to walk on the road amid traffic.Encroachments and crowding around vendors reduce the usable road space.Street vendors further contribute to congestion on Hampankatta Road near the Central Market.Safety: PoorPedestrian safety on Central Market Road remains a major concern, as people are frequently forced to walk on the carriageway due to encroachments and parked vehicles. The mixing of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, especially during peak hours, increases the risk of accidents. Congestion worsens near vendor clusters, where movement becomes restricted, and visibility is reduced.Accessibility: AverageThe City Bus Stand is located approximately 500 metres away, and an autorickshaw stand is also present nearby. City buses frequently stop to pick up passengers outside designated bus bays. While footpaths exist along most of the stretch, they narrow at a few locations and are also used by shopkeepers for unloading goods. However, the biggest challenge remains encroachments by street vendors, which significantly reduce the space available for pedestrians.Maintenance: PoorThe stretch suffers from poor cleanliness, with garbage dumped at several locations and wastewater discharged from eateries. Fruit and vegetable vendors leave behind waste, while some vendors store merchandise on the footpath, and shopkeepers use portions of it for unloading goods. Narrow and obstructed footpaths force pedestrians onto the road.
