Footpath encroachments and fatal accidents

The walking tracks known as the footpaths are still under the clutches of hundreds of people, who are installing their carts on a regular basis to earn their livelihood. There is no objection to the people earning their livelihood, but one should at least understand that such happenings are putting the lives of children, old and young, at risk when they are being forced to walk on the roadsides.
The footpaths are purely meant for the walking purpose to ensure that there is no risk of accidents to the pedestrians. However, many cases have taken place where the vehicles have crushed the pedestrians to death, which indicates that the absence of footpaths or its occupation is risking the lives of thousands of pedestrians all across the valley.
Street vendors, occupying the roadsides is a compulsion for them to earn the bread and butter for their respective families, but it should also be taken into the consideration that occupying the footpaths are resulting in the fatal accidents as the pedestrians are being forced to walk on the roads, which need to be put to an immediate end.
The concerned departments in every district should start a fresh drive to remove the encroachment from the footpaths at least to pave way for the pedestrians to walk freely and without any threat or risk to their lives. It is imperative to take the much-needed decision and step at this juncture to prevent the fatal road accidents and also save the precious lives of the people.