Mushroom growth of hawkers leading to increased road accidents in Gulistan

‘Minor accidents happen every day. People have been dying for years due to the mushroom growth of hawkers, rickshaws, and the movement of vans. That's why people suddenly move in front of the vehicle, said a bus driver of Gulistan addressing road safety issues.

Five people have been killed in different accidents in Gulistan in the last few days. On the spot, it was seen in Gulistan that the normal movement of vehicles was being disrupted as a result of too many hawkers occupying the road.

The number of hawkers is around several thousand in the area. | Photo: The Report

From Baitul Mukarram Market to Gulistan Market, till Hawker’s market, the whole area is filled with hawkers on adjacent sides. Going to the ground, it is seen that more than a thousand shops have been set up in Gulistan area. Hawkers are occupying both sides of the road.

Amid thriving street vendors, cars, rickshaws and buses ply precariously on both sides. Ordinary people are suffering from it. If two or three buses go together, the road becomes blocked. Haphazard traffic is created.

Ordinary commuters sometimes try to move in between the two buses and sometimes on the side. Because the whole road is blocked, it creates the risk of collision between the two buses. For all these reasons, accidents are common occurrences in that area.