Jamshedpur: In a pointed appeal during a community meeting on Saturday, Sudhir Kumar Pappu, Secretary-cum-Advocate of the Sonari Thana Peace Committee, strongly raised the issue of rampant encroachment on major roads in Sonari, calling it “an open invitation to serious accidents.” The discussion was convened at his residential office to review preparations and concerns ahead of the upcoming Durga Puja festivities.
The meeting was attended by several local intellectuals, peace committee members, and Durga Puja organizers who voiced growing frustration over illegal occupation of roads, footpaths, and public spaces in the area. Particular concern was raised about the stretch from Sonari Airport to Kagalnagar Chowk, Airport to Nurse Quarter, and from Nurse Quarter Chowk to Tehsildar Chowk — where shopkeepers, vendors, and even private residents have encroached upon public roads, narrowing the carriageway and endangering commuters.
Pappu extended his gratitude to the Jusco management and district administration for the recent beautification of Airport Chowk, describing it as a positive example. However, he emphasized the urgent need for similar interventions in other parts of Sonari, especially through road widening, removal of encroachments, and infrastructure improvements.
“Shops have taken over footpaths, damaged and private vehicles are parked on the main road, and house extensions have spilled into public space, creating major obstructions,” he said, adding that such conditions could prove fatal during emergency situations or peak festive rush.
Pappu also made a special request to the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic) to initiate night patrolling and a crackdown on illegal vehicle parking on main roads. He urged traffic police to take strict action against those who convert public roads into private parking lots.
The meeting saw active participation from Durga Puja Committee members including Jaswant Sahu, Ashok Singh, Pradeep Lal, Tribhuvan Yadav, Mohammad Azad, Mohammad Tahir, Vinod Yadav, Vinay Kumar Dubey, Mrs. D Bose, Sarvesh Prasad, Haridas, Satish Sharma, Narayan Sasmal, Prabhat Ranjan Shrivastava, Sanjay Kumar Rajak, Ajay Rajak, Rakesh, Rahul Bhattacharya and others.
