Panchkula, Nov. 2 -- With the festive season drawing more shoppers to markets, pedestrians in Panchkula are being forced to walk on busy roads or squeeze through parking spaces because footpaths remain occupied by street vendors, shopkeepers and even residents. From crowded commercial hubs to residential sectors, encroachments and damaged pathways have made walking increasingly difficult and unsafe.

In major markets, several shopkeepers have extended their display areas beyond their showrooms, placing goods in corridors and on pavements. Street vendors have also occupied stretches of footpaths, leaving little room for pedestrians. The problem is particularly visible in Sectors 11, 14 and 15, where shoppers and commuters often have to neg...