Earlier, seniority was limited upto corporate world but now it has extended to encroachment. Nowadays, people who have encroached a portion of land first, get the benefit to earn ‘extra’. While the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) boasts of its ambitious ‘Mission 100 Days’ a campaign aimed at clearing encroachments and reclaiming public roads, a far more sinister form of encroachment is festering in the vicinity of Futala Lake and IT Park. It is not just about kiosks occupying Government land, it is about an unauthorised monopoly where old-timers -- people who had encroached the spot for long, have become agents by treating the land as their private real estate assets.

 

Senior encroachers scattered across the city For over couple of decades, several stall owners have occupied prime spots along the Futala lane. These individuals do not own the land they occupied; it is Government property intended for public use or regulated vending. However, longevity has bred a dangerous sense of entitlement. These ‘senior’ encroachers have established a localised monopoly, acting as invisible landlords to newcomers. Converting public land into private real estate A conversation with a young stall owner in the lane revealed a startling reality. “I have to pay Rs 4,000 every month as rent just to stand here on the spot,” he shared, requesting anonymity. When asked who he pays, he pointed toward the older stalls nearby.

 

“Those who have been here from the start do not pay a penny to anyone, but for us newbies to get a foot in, we have to pay them for the ‘right’ to use the spot.” While shrugging the shoulders, Sanjay Kamble, Assistant Commissioner, Enforcement Wing, NMC, explained, “This scenario is not just in Futala but also in IT park and other places, these hooligans threaten new people and do not let them place their stalls. We had received such complains but unfortunately we are not the only concerned authority, police personnel also need to take strict action against this kind of people.” No fear of NMC and Police Department This sub-letting of government land is a blatant violation of civic laws and a direct challenge to the authority of NMC and police department. While the Enforcement

 

Wing, with the support of police, focuses on the physical removal of carts and sheds, they struggle to remove the financial mafia operating underneath. This system creates a hazardous environment for small-scale entrepreneurs who are already struggling with rising costs. They are being squeezed not by the authority, but by unauthorised middlemen who have seized control of public spaces. To truly make Nagpur encroachment-free, the NMC and police must dismantle this rent-seeking culture. If left unchecked, this monopoly will transition from a localised nuisance into an organised street mafia.