Jaipur: City traffic police and the Jaipur Municipal Corporation have issued notices to shopkeepers and eatery owners on Tonk Road to remove goods, tables and chairs from pavements as part of a plan to turn the stretch into a model corridor.The action follows Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma’s announcement to develop the stretch from Ajmeri Gate to Sitapura as a model corridor. Officials decided to clear pavement encroachments after multiple surveys found pedestrian movement was being obstructed.“If we want to turn Tonk Road into a model corridor, then we must also ensure safe movements of pedestrians. So, it was decided to issue notices to all the shop owners to remove encroachments from the pavements,” a police officer said.Officials said pavements on several parts of Tonk Road are already narrow, and encroachments have made walking difficult. They warned the situation could worsen once construction begins on Jaipur Metro Line 2.“We have also asked all the shop keepers that we would not allow parking on both sides of the Tonk Road. The road width may shrink in stretches at the time of construction,” another official said.Traffic officials said some bus stops on the stretch, particularly those near congested junctions, have already been shifted. Separate lanes have also been created at some bus stops to allow buses to pick up passengers without blocking traffic. Officials said the measures are aimed at improving traffic flow on Tonk Road.
