BHOPAL: The oldest markets in old Bhopal remain under heavy congestion due to illegal parking that dissuades the customers coming from the far flung areas. These were the markets that catered to the needs of residents of Bhopal even before the Independence.
The shopkeepers in the old city claim that due to congestion and parking woes- they are losing out 20 to 30 per cent customers as they now opt for shopping from the other markets like MP Nagar or New Market.
The traders claim ten years ago customers from even Sehore and Raisen use to visit these markets for festive shopping. The oldest market of Bhopal lies in Hanumanganj and Chowk areas where these traders have been operating from for generations.
Prahlad Das Agrawal, president of the Azaad market merchandise traders association says the roads were fine even in last year’s festivals. He says that the parking is another issue that turns customers towards markets in new city areas. Our rates are always less than the rates in other markets as we are wholesale dealers but still residents hesitate in coming to these markets due to parking issues and traffic congestion in these areas. If roads are widened and some small parkings are developed, sale will rise, he says.
An ex-corproator and a trader Prahlad Das Khandelwal says that the roads between Jumerati and Mangalwara has two big markets of Hanumanganj and Chowk bajaar. These roads are heavily encroached and we need a better way out else these markets will keep on loosing footfalls as the buyers even can’t come in their four wheelers in these markets in the evening, he says.
Deepak Pasari, member of Kirana vyapari association says that the roads are heavily congested due to vendors sitting on the roads and also there is shrunk space for parking for the residents. If this government ensured the encroachers are shifted in a systematic way so that their livelihood is not taken away, the roads will be free for commuters.
Anurag Mathur, another trader says that the parking that were built for the shopkeepers are too far from their areas and that they rarely use it. We feel that if there are small space reserved for parking and roads are free, we will have customers from all across Bhopal, he says.
