Chandrapur's Bengali Camp Chowk chokes at dusk as crowds at wine shops and bars squeeze the road

Traffic congestion has become serious in the evenings around Bengali Camp Chowk in Chandrapur city. Residents allege that because of encroachment, a road about 40 feet wide is reduced to just 15 feet after dusk.

The road is a major route linking Mul and Ballarpur talukas. Large crowds gather in front of the wine shops and bars here, cutting the road's capacity to carry traffic. The main road through the chowk is about 40 feet wide, yet very little space is left in the evening. As a result, motorists have to squeeze through a narrow gap.

According to residents, after 6 pm heavy crowds of customers gather around the wine shops and bars. This makes it difficult for two-wheelers, cars, buses and heavy vehicles to pass. Pedestrians also find it hard to walk safely along the roadside. Residents complain that the risk of accidents is rising along with the congestion. Accidents have occurred in the area before, and the stretch is also being talked about as an accident-prone spot.

Manoj Paul, BJP district general secretary, said he has submitted more than 20 representations to the administration on the problem. He alleged that no concrete action has been taken so far. He warned that a sit-in protest will be held if immediate action is not taken on the encroachment and traffic problem.

Residents demand that encroachments on the road be removed to keep traffic moving smoothly, and that crowds around liquor outlets be kept in check. They also want action against people who drink in the open. They want the administration to take note of this serious problem and put a permanent arrangement in place.

Residents also complain that after buying liquor from the wine shops, some people sit and drink in the open on a nearby vacant plot. Notably, this plot adjoins the office of Zone No. 3 of the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation. For this reason, residents have demanded that the practice be stopped.