Osh sidewalk completely taken over by street vendors, resident reports
Translated from Russian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- A resident reported that a pedestrian zone in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, has been completely taken over by street vendors.
- The sidewalk was already narrow and poorly designed, with city services recently dividing it further to create a bicycle lane.
- The vendors have set up stalls and umbrellas, blocking all movement and prompting a call for municipal intervention.
A pedestrian zone in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, has been entirely occupied by street vendors, rendering it impassable, according to a local resident who contacted 24.kg.
The area in question, located near the former "Keletchek" market, was already problematic. The sidewalk was described as excessively narrow and poorly designed, lacking adequate green spaces. City services recently attempted to improve the situation by dividing the already limited space into two, allocating one half for a bicycle lane.
However, this division has been completely undermined by the proliferation of informal trade. Vendors have erected umbrellas and set up stalls directly on the designated pedestrian and bicycle path, effectively blocking all movement. The resident has urged the municipality to address the issue and clear the space of the encroaching informal trade.
Originally published by 24.kg in Russian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.