The recent anti-encroachment campaign in Gaya has been met with widespread scepticism and doubt from the city's street vendors and local residents. Many believe the municipal action is merely a temporary measure, with encroachments set to return once official attention shifts elsewhere.
Vendors Decry a Cyclical 'Drama'
Street vendors, who were displaced during the drive, express a deep-seated cynicism born from repeated experience. A footpath vendor on K P Road, who wished to remain anonymous as Ashok Kumar, stated that such exercises are a recurring drama. He claimed that municipal employees and local police have a stake in the informal vending ecosystem, ensuring a return to the status quo after a brief disruption. The vendor pointed out that displacements routinely occur before the Pitrapaksh period annually, only for normalcy to resume later.
This sentiment of a superficial cleanup was echoed by Gajindra Singh Chauhan, the corporator of ward number 32. He emphasized that a strong and consistent administrative will has been conspicuously absent over the years, rendering such drives ineffective. Chauhan labelled the recent actions near Asha Singh Mor and other areas as 'cosmetic', highlighting that the core issue of permanent encroachment remains largely unaddressed.
Calls for Systemic Accountability and Planning
Critics and observers are calling for a more systematic and accountable approach to prevent the cycle from repeating. Syed Shad Alam, a retired banker, proposed concrete measures including proper measurement and marking of encroached zones, fixing responsibility on officials, and videographing cleared areas. He advocated for strict penalties like demotion, suspension, and pay cuts for officials in whose jurisdictions encroachments reappear, recalling that even the stringent drive during the Emergency era proved short-lived.
The lack of permanent vending zones is a critical pain point. Trade union leader Sarnath Singh alleged the drive is being executed in an ad hoc and unplanned manner. He revealed that a proposal for designated vending zones has been languishing for decades, and without it, nearly 3,000 street vendors across Gaya face an uncertain livelihood.
Administration's Promise of a Durable Solution
Despite the public doubt, the administration has struck a determined note. Officiating Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Dilip Dhwaj, while acknowledging he is not fully versed with the history of past drives, asserted that the current campaign aims to be effective and long-lasting. "This time it will be durable as we mean business," Dhwaj stated.
The business community is watching closely. Kaushalendra Pratap, patron of the Central Bihar Chamber of Commerce, expressed hope that the administrative machinery would learn from past mistakes and not repeat them, noting that its credibility is on the line. The coming weeks will reveal whether this drive breaks the pattern or becomes another chapter in Gaya's long history of temporary encroachment clearances.
