SC issues notice to Centre, states on encroachment of footpath

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Centre and all states seeking their response on steps taken by them to remove encroachment of pavements and footpaths.

A bench headed by Chief Justice R M Lodha granted 10 weeks time to the Centre and the states to file their response on a PIL seeking its direction to frame guidelines for removing encroachments on footpath and pavements.

The court passed the order on a PIL filed by Dhanesh Ieshdhan, chairman of NGO Voice of India.

He submitted that the encroachments are putting the lives of pedestrians in danger and are constant source of annoyance for the large public when they find public places blocked and encroached by vehicles and hawkers.

"Thousands of deaths per year in the country take place because of the pedestrians are forced to walk on the road as the footpaths as well as half of the road's area are blocked by law breakers who never care about any rule of law," the petition said.