A chain fencing along a major footpath on the west side of the NMC Zone 2 office, Dharampeth has triggered an unexpected civic issue, drawing complaints from pedestrians, shopkeepers and daily commuters. The fencing, meant to prevent public urination along the stretch, has instead created severe parking and traffic bottlenecks, making the road narrower and more congested than before. According to NMC officials, the decision to erect the chain barricade was taken after repeated incidents of open urination along the footpath. “People were misusing the area for urination. The fencing was installed to deter such behaviour,” Rajendra Shetty, Senior Sanitation Inspector shared. However, the measure seems to have produced unintended consequences. Due to the barricade, motorists, unable to use the footpath edge for temporary parking, have begun parking directly on the road beside the fencing, restricting the carriageway and causing vehicular movement to slow down significantly during peak hours.

 

Commuters say the road has effectively ‘shrunk’, resulting in daily traffic snarls and higher risk for pedestrians who now struggle to navigate the narrow space between parked vehicles and moving traffic. Adding to the frustration is the condition of the Government-constructed public toilet located just beside the fenced stretch. Though the facility exists to address sanitation needs, users claim it is malfunctioning. A shopkeeper whose stall is located on the same footpath revealed that the toilet often leaks due to improper drainage connections.

 

“Urine overflows outside the toilet and spreads across the footpath. The smell is unbearable. Earlier, people were urinating in the open; now the situation is worse because the waste is flowing everywhere,” he said. Several other vendors and residents echoed the same concern. Citizens are now demanding two immediate actions: removal of the chain fencing and urgent repair of the public toilet. They argue that unless the toilet functions properly, no structural deterrent will prevent misuse of the space. When contacted, an NMC officer acknowledged the complaint, but clarified jurisdictional limitations. “The repair and maintenance work of the toilet falls under the Public Works Department (PWD). However, we will still look into whether any choke-up is causing the overflow and ensure temporary relief until PWD carries out permanent repairs,” Shetty stated. As the situation stands, what began as a measure to curb public nuisance has become a larger civic concern affecting sanitation, mobility and daily commerce. Residents hope that co-ordinated action between NMC and PWD will resolve the problem promptly, restoring both traffic flow and hygienic conditions in the area.