Policemen add to traffic woes

HAJIPUR: Crawling traffic has become a regular feature in Hajipu courtesy the benevolence of the district police.
And to add to the woes of commuters are innumerable vegetable and fruit vendors.
Their presence on the roads keeps the traffic stranded for hours and hours together. In a half-km-stretch between Ramashish chowk and railway station gate, amakeshift market of fruits and vegetables crops up everyday.
From early in the morning to late in the evening, people have to face difficulty in covering this small distance.
Heaps of leaves of lichis on road has created hellish condition and pedestrians have tough time walking on road.
"We are able to sell our fruits and vegetables on road because of the kindness of the traffic police and in return we offer them Rs 50 to 100 as per the size of stalls and also fruits and vegetables," said Surinder Singh, who sells fruits on road without any fear of being chased away by police.
According to rough estimates, more than 150 fruits vendors and 60 vegetable vendors put up their stalls on road and sing paeans to benevolent policemen, who receive both "praise and paisa".
Because of crowded makeshift market on the road, even the vehicles of powers-that-be have to wait.
According to sources, policeman earn over Rs 5,000 from this makeshift market. Despite high court''s directive to remove all kinds of encroachment, the police are paying no attention.
Not only this, policemen charge Rs 15 to Rs 50 for letting vehicle-owners to park their vehicles, said a driver.
Meanwhile, SP H N Deva said traffic policemen will be taken to task if found guilty. All the encroachments will be removed soon.