Written by: Shubham Kurale
2 min readFeb 5, 2026 11:51 AM IST
Footpaths around a Reliance mall in Pune’s Kothrud have become parking lots for two-wheelers, forcing senior citizens onto busy roads, raising safety concerns among residents, who say authorities have been negligent in addressing the growing menace.
A 72-year-old resident from a nearby area who did not wish to be named said, “When footpaths are blocked with two-wheelers, pedestrians, particularly senior citizens using canes, walkers, or wheelchairs, are forced to shift on the main road, sharing space with fast-moving traffic, which increases the risk of accidents.”
The resident attributed the worsening situation to recent commercial development around the mall. “The issue of encroaching pavements with illegal vehicle parking and double parking has increased after the commercial development and rise in hawkers near the Reliance SMART Bazaar and other adjoining establishments,” he added.
He emphasised that residents are not opposed to commercial activity in the area. “We have absolutely no issue with their businesses; it’s their right, but parking should be done in the designated places across the road, keeping the footpaths available for pedestrians. The condition is becoming bad, and residents in the area feel helpless with no action by the police on traffic violations,” he said.
Shrikrishna Deshpande, chairman of Anand Residency Society, located behind the mall, corroborated the concerns. “People who visit stalls in front of the Reliance SMART Bazaar park their vehicles on the footpath, and the complete stretch gets occupied with no space for pedestrians.”
He also highlighted hygiene and nuisance issues stemming from the food stalls. “Visitors, after having food at the stalls, litter the surrounding public space, which falls near the entrance of our society, creating hygiene issues. They even enter adjacent roads towards the society premises for discussions,” he explained.
According to Deshpande, several residents of the society are experiencing the issue, and meetings with ex-corporators and requests to the traffic police for frequent patrols have largely gone unheeded.
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When contacted, a traffic official at Kothrud police station told The Indian Express, “Towing vans are currently inoperative. However, immediate action will be initiated and those vehicles parked inappropriately on footpaths, causing inconvenience, will be challaned.”
