Clean, walkable footpaths in Nashik soon

NASHIK: To make the city footpath walkable and pedestrian-friendly, Nashik municipal commissioner Ramesh Pawar has ordered officials to keep them clean and remove encroachments on roads.
Pawar told TOI that he has already directed the officials concerned to ensure cleanliness on footpaths and remove encroachments.
Pawar said that the footpaths will be strengthened as per the financial provision in the budget of the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC).Moreover, footpaths are to be constructed only where they are needed, he said, adding that his priority is to have better roads and footpaths for the city residents.
According to Swapnil Patil, a city resident, the condition of footpaths is poor. Footpaths are unclean at some locations whereas in some areas, street vendors have encroached the footpaths, leaving no space for pedestrians to walk.
“Some vendors have set up tea or food stalls on footpaths. Therefore, it is difficult for people to walk freely on such footpaths due to encroachments. Moreover, there are inadequate footpaths in the city.”
While the condition of a footpath near Meri on Dindori Road is poor, garbage is also being dumped on the footpath. Moreover, manholes are kept open at two locations on the footpath.
In the meantime, the anti-encroachment department of the civic body has decided to start a initiate a drive to remove encroachments on footpaths.