Nagpur: Footpath meant for pedestrians is being openly ‘rented’ for a mere ₹6,000 a month in the city. A middleman engaged in selling footpath space quoted the ‘rent amount’ while assuring a ‘prime spot’ for parking a food van on the busy IT Park stretch.“With every inch in high demand there is hardly any space available on the IT Park footpath. If you want to park a food van on the footpath, you will have to pay ₹6,000 per month. That shopkeeper pays ₹12,000 for two vehicles,” the middleman told the TOI reporter who approached him to secure space for road-side eatery business.Shockingly, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) appears to be completely unaware of this racket being operated in broad daylight. On Sunday, Union minister Nitin Gadkari held a meeting, attended by the mayor, deputy mayor and other NMC top officials, at his residence. Gadkari pulled up the administration over the issue, and directed NMC to make the city’s footpaths encroachment-free. He also instructed officials to take action against large-scale encroachments on most roads and submit a detailed report within eight days.Nagpur, now known as a city of flyovers, is being touted as a ‘smart’ city with cement roads, and other modern infrastructure. However, even as the city boasts of upgraded infrastructure, a disturbing reality has emerged — there is virtually no space left for pedestrians. Footpaths across the city have fallen prey to encroachments.Senior officials, including the divisional commissioner, have repeatedly issued directives to clear footpaths. Action plans have been discussed in high-level review meetings. Yet, footpaths remain far from encroachment-free. Last month, the Nagpur Bench of Bombay high court had remarked, “Just take a walk around Khamla and you will understand the real situation,” while hearing a PIL on the issue. HOW THE DEAL WAS STRUCKHow did footpath encroachers become so financially powerful? Seeking answers, TOI launched an investigation, and what emerged was a thriving black market where footpaths are being traded openly through middlemen.IT Park is a magnet for young tech professionals, many of whom are willing to spend generously on quick food. As a result, food carts line the area in large numbers. But how do these carts land on footpaths, and who allocates them space?To uncover the truth, the TOI team approached several shopkeepers, saying they wanted to set up a cart on the footpath. Initially, no one was willing to speak openly. Some gave evasive replies. When told that the team was genuinely interested and prepared to pay the required ‘charges’, a breakthrough came. Information about a middleman surfaced. The TOI reporter contacted him — and the deal was swiftly struck, laying bare how footpaths meant for public use are being illegally commercialised, right under the nose of the authorities.
