Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The taste weighed more than gold as a consensus was reached between Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) and Sarafa traders that the famed Chowpatty will continue to operate in the bullion market in the night.
The long-running dispute over the iconic food street has finally been resolved, with bullion traders agreeing to its continued operation after a series of political and administrative setbacks.
The resolution came during a meeting with mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav on Monday, which effectively formalised an outcome that had become inevitable after the traders failed to garner the political support they had anticipated.
The mayor had remained steadfast, previously declaring that the Chowpatty would be set up, if need be, “even on the road" if traders did not provide shopfront platforms.
In a significant shift, the traders, who were recently "badly beaten up politically," dropped their opposition and agreed to the conditions set by the corporation.
To oversee the Chowpatty's future, Bhargav has instructed the formation of a 9-member committee, comprising three members each from the bullion traders, the Chowpatty food stall association and the IMC.
The committee, to be formed within 15 days, will decide the number and type of shops, operational timings and ensure fire safety and discipline.
"The bullion traders only know how to do business. If we come out on the streets and go to court, Indore's reputation will be tarnished," said Hukum Soni, president of the Bullion Traders Association, confirming the truce.
The bullion traders' campaign to remove the food street, which they argued disrupted their business, began to crumble when expected support from local MLA Malini Gaud failed to materialise decisively. Their morale was further weakened when senior minister Kailash Vijayvargiya turned them away, stating, "You people have gone too far... he can't interfere now." A move by the IMC to mark and measure hotels in Sarafa for potential action was also seen as a strong message that forced the traders to the negotiating table.
Ultimately, the cultural and political significance of the Chowpatty, which has been praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and recently hosted the state cabinet at Rajwada, proved too great to ignore.
Mayor Bhargava hailed the traders' decision, stating, "Sarafa Chowpatty is not just the identity of Indore but of the entire country... With this coordination, Chowpatty will be given a new, safe and disciplined look."
