People popping into various shops at New Market in the city for buying clothes and household items for the ensuing Diwali festival are facing problems because of dug-up roads. The dust rising from the dug-up roads is causing hassles to the visitors as well as the shopkeepers.
The alleys in the market have been dug up for putting tiles as part of the Smart City project. Some shopkeepers told Free Press that since the roads were dug up three months ago, the work should have been completed by now. But as the market has become overcrowded because Diwali is around the corner, everybody is facing problems, they said, adding that they had sent complaints about it, but no action was taken by Bhopal Municipal Corporation.
The renovation of a single road has been going on for more than six months. The shopkeepers rued that their sale has declined because of heaps of dust and sand in front of their business establishments. Complaints made by the shopkeepers to the authorities concerned went unheeded.
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In this festive season customers come in a very large number but due to this delayed project they have to face a lot of problems. Not only the customers or commuters but also the shopkeepers are in trouble, sand dust enters our shop and our products and mannequins get dirty. When I complained to the Assistant Engineer of the Smart City, he said the work will get over soon and there is no change in situation till date.
–Vikas Ratnawat, Businessman, New market
This construction work is delayed from a very long time and the concerned authorities are not paying any heed to the matter. The sand dust entering our shops not only makes the place dirty but also might cause many diseases.
Jagdish Chaurey, Tailors Raj Brothers, New Market
We requested the authorities of Smart City to stop this work until Deepawali but they did not listen to any of our requests and said this work will get complete in 10 days; it took them 2 years to complete the work of 2 roads, and how is it possible that they will finish this work in 10 days?
Sanjay Valecha,
Ex-Secretary New-market Vyapari Mahasangh
No project of Smart City gets completed on time and this one too is taking time longer than expected. Customers are facing lots of problems. The work was not being done from a long and now they have to do construction at this time when people are visiting new market for shopping. There is no effect on authorities of our complaints.
Harish Gyanchandani,
Treasurer, New-market Vyapari Mahasangh
This work is being done for betterment of their future and people must cooperate.
Sanjay Kumar, CEO Smart City Development Corporation Ltd
