Following re peated complaints about roadside encroachments, traders from Margao’s New Market met Margao Munic ipal Council (MMC) Chief Officer Madhu Narvekar on Tuesday, seeking imme diate action against ven dors occupying footpaths and adjoining roads. The meeting was followed by an inspection drive, during which municipal inspectors cleared several unauthor ised stalls from the mar ket’s footpaths. The delegation, led by Margao New Market Merchants Association president Gopal Naik and member Digambar Sawal, questioned why the MMC had failed to implement earlier directions issued by Margao MLA & Minis ter Digambar Kamat to act against illegal vendors. Following the meeting, Chief Officer Narvekar instructed municipal in spectors to take immedi ate action. Naik and Sawal accompanied the inspec tors during the inspection across the market’s three sections. Footpaths occu pied by vendors and shops that had extended goods beyond their boundaries were cleared, while trad ers who had placed goods outside their allotted space were warned to comply. Naik said the association was dissatisfied that such action was taken only after repeated reminders. The traders also raised concerns over the wors ening traffic congestion caused by roadside hawk ers, saying that vehicles are forced to move slow ly through narrow lanes crowded with stalls, par ticularly during evening hours. They said the situa tion often results in traffic jams near the New Mar ket circle and adjoining stretches leading to Gandhi Market and Station Road. The action followed the association’s fresh remind er to the MMC earlier this week, in which traders pointed out that despite written assurances, no steps had been taken to re move illegal vendors from areas around New Market and Gandhi Market. They highlighted several prob lem stretches — including Pimpalkatta near the old Bank of Baroda, Station Road near the Bank of In dia junction, Sadekar Lane, and the area outside T.G. Borkar’s shop — where roadside vendors continue to operate daily, creating congestion and obstructing pedestrian movement. The traders recalled that less than two weeks earlier, Kamat had chaired a meet ing with municipal and po lice officials, following rep resentations from Naik and Sawal. At that time, Kamat had directed both agencies to act firmly against fruit and vegetable vendors op erating along Station Road. The association said the problem has persisted for decades despite repeated drives and court directions. Traders noted that simi lar encroachments were cleared in April and June 2025, only for vendors to return within days. “We pay our license fees and taxes, but those selling illegally outside affect our business and block footpaths,” Naik said, warning that the trad ers will come on the streets to protest if enforcement lapses again
Margao Traders Demand Action Against Roadside Encroachments at New Market
