BHOPAL: New Market, is no more a no -hawker and no -vehicle zone, its corridors are brimming with hawkers and the circulating area has been turned into parking lots. Traders body has demanded paid premium parking at Top ‘n’ Town.
Even after frequent drives against the vendors they have managed to capture the corridors in front of shops- now no space is left for movement of customers or visitors. The hawkers were driven from New Market for a while. But considering their livelihood during festival season, they were allowed- and now the entire market is brimming with hawkers.
Even the effectiveness of the anti-encroachment drive has come to a naught as the scene is back to square one.
The way, market’s circulating area is bearing a look of a parking lot. The shopkeepers are concerned that this practice will encouraged others to park their vehicles inside the market. It may lead to confrontation between shop keepers and customers.
The onus lies on administration to enforce the rules and regulations in the market which have been made for welfare of all. Otherwise, the situation is bound to turn more complicated.
New Market Traders Association general secretary Ajay Dewnani said, “We will raise the issue with administration to ensure that New Market becomes a no -hawker and no-vehicle zone again. It is festival time, so our priority is to take care of visitors. Corridors have been captured by visitors. Secondly, we have demanded premium paid parking at Top ‘n’ Town. There is already multilevel parking.”
