Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A modern marketplace on the lines of Jaipur’s traditional bazaars is being planned for over 100-year-old city market.
On Thursday, Member of Parliament Alok Sharma chaired a meeting at the Collector’s office with district officials and trader associations to address longstanding issues of congestion, parking and infrastructure in the city’s oldest commercial hub.
Representatives from Sarafa, grocery, pharmaceutical and clothing trader associations attended the meeting and raised key concerns. Traders pointed out that the absence of organised parking and growing traffic congestion were choking business activity.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Sharma said that congestion in Old Bhopal’s markets had reached such a level that even funeral processions could not pass through the narrow streets.
Taking note of these issues, Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh instructed the formation of a new committee comprising of district administration officials, Smart City representatives and market associations.
The committees will first conduct two surveys in one of the existing Old Bhopal markets and another to identify a suitable location for the new market.
On the suggestions of traders, it is decided that the new facility will be developed along the lines of Jaipur’s organised bazaars, ensuring systematic planning, better facilities and improved business conditions.
Sources indicated that the proposed new market will be developed near TT Nagar or within the Smart City area, ensuring easy accessibility while easing pressure on the congested old marketplaces.
BOX: Many parking areas have been encroached upon by illegal garages, leaving little space for customers. MP Sharma directed the Corporation Commissioner to take immediate action against these encroachments.
BOX: Traders added that the lack of basic civic amenities was discouraging younger generations from continuing their over 100-year-old family-run businesses. ‘More than 3k to 4k support staff work in these markets, but due to the shortage of public toilets, many of them are forced to leave their jobs,’ a trader pointed out.
Security was another major concern, particularly for Sarafa traders. They explained that customers hesitate to park their vehicles far from jewellery shops, as carrying ornaments over long distances poses safety risks.
Collector Singh confirmed that orders to form the committee will be issued soon. ‘The process of shifting and reorganising Old Bhopal’s markets will begin once the surveys are completed,’ he told Free Press.
