Sakchi market, the main business hub of the city, can’t seem to get rid of the encroachment menace.

Around 600 vendors, many of whom have shops at Sanjay and Shalini markets, do business from the footpath and parking area in the Sakchi market, causing a lot of inconvenience to shoppers.

Gamharia-resident Harendra Mandal (56), who rode 15km with his wife on a bike to Sakchi market on Friday, had to come back disappointed as he couldn’t negotiate his two-wheeler through the congested market.

M. Vijaylaxmi (45), a resident of Gandak Road in Sakchi, was hit by a biker inside the cramped market on Thursday morning.

Vijaylaxmi, who had hurt her waist, was made to sit in a jewellery shop before she could head home.

Such incidents are commonplace at the market and the condition gets worse during festivals.

Cops can be seen loitering around, but the footpath vendors seem to rule the roost.

“Vendors encroaching on the footpath not only cause problems to shoppers, but also shop owners. Most of them occupy the space in front of the permanent shops and block the way,” said Gajendra Agrawal, a garment shop owner at the Sakchi market.

Agrawal (62) said the last anti-encroachment drive conducted to clear Sakchi market of congestion was two years ago. Suraj Kumar was the sub-divisional officer then.

“But after his transfer, the situation has gone back to the square one,” he added.

About one lakh people visit Sakchi market every day.

The ones who come on bikes enter the market on their two-wheelers due to the lack of adequate parking space outside.

Dhalbhum sub-divisional officer Chandan Kumar admitted that the Sakchi market was getting increasingly congested because of encroachment by vendors.

“We will soon start a drive to clear the footpath of vendors. We will also ensure that they don’t set up makeshift shops in an illegal way in the future,” Kumar said.