HYDERABAD: Hyderabad’s footpaths continue to remain clogged with vendors, illegal shop extensions, and parked vehicles, highlighting years of inconsistent enforcement and short-lived campaigns by civic and police authorities.
About a year ago, the Hyderabad City Police launched Operation ROPE to remove encroachments from busy roads and footpaths. The drive initially cleared several stretches and brought temporary relief to pedestrians and commuters. However, in the absence of sustained inspection and follow-up, vendors and shop owners soon returned to the same locations, rebuilding stalls and extending structures onto public walkways.
“The moment enforcement teams leave, encroachments come back. Without daily monitoring, nothing changes,” said Manav, a resident of Sindhi Colony, adding, “Repeated drives without regular supervision only provide short-term results and fail to address the root cause of the problem.”
Several areas once cleared under Operation ROPE are now facing renewed pressure. Stretches such as Paradise Junction–Sindhi Colony road have witnessed fresh stalls and new shops reducing road width and blocking pavements. Regular commuters say traffic jams have become routine, while pedestrians are forced to walk amidst moving vehicles.
Urban experts point out that most anti-encroachment drives lose momentum after a few weeks. Once special teams are withdrawn, routine enforcement weakens, allowing violatiors to return. The lack of coordination between departments and the absence of a long-term plan have resulted in a cycle of temporary relief followed by gradual relapse, they said.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior police official said regulation of vending must follow guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court. “Street vending committees have to identify proper places where vendors can be relocated and ensure that they remain there.
Otherwise, whenever we remove them, they return as soon as enforcement teams leave. This has been happening repeatedly. One such example is the Sindhi Colony–Paradise Jn stretch, where several new shops have come up again, causing heavy traffic congestion. I am a regular commuter on that route and see this problem daily.
The long-term solution lies in identifying suitable locations where all vendors can be accommodated. Vending zones must be clearly prescribed and implemented properly. This is essential for hawkers. At the same time, permanent shops that illegally extend onto footpaths must be removed strictly. There is no way such encroachments can be allowed. Town Vending Committees will regulate street vending through Green, Yellow and Red zones to avoid obstruction and traffic disruptions,” he said,
adding, “While traffic management is being ensured, further responsibility lies with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. The civic body must create hawker zones, form TVCs and issue ID cards. Without this, the problem cannot be solved permanently.”
Meanwhile, a senior GHMC official told TNIE, “We are trying to balance pedestrian safety with the livelihoods of street vendors. We acknowledge that while illegal shop extensions must be removed, the situation of small vendors is more complex, as many depend on daily earnings for survival.
Many of them cannot afford shops. We cannot ignore their situation. We are trying to find spaces where they can operate without blocking footpaths.”
He also admitted that compliance remains temporary, with many vendors returning after a few days of enforcement.
Some vendors have claimed that they pay challans or unofficial fees and are allowed to continue operating. Others allege that enforcement teams sometimes overlook violations. While police officials have termed such practices unacceptable, residents say weak supervision and lack of accountability have allowed encroachments to flourish.