PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
A day’s closure of the Sunday Market being held at Rangers’ Ground caused major public inconvenience at Paltan Bazaar on the wee. This disruption led to crowding and frustration among many residents, who are urging authorities to resume the Sunday market at Rangers Ground. A fair has been organised at Rangers’ Ground, which is the reason for the temporary suspension of the Sunday market at that location. As a result, a large crowd was observed at Paltan Bazaar last Sunday, creating a stressful situation for many shoppers and residents who frequent the market.
For some time, the Doon Valley Mahanagar Udyog Vyapar Mandal (DVMUVM) has been requesting authorities to remove the Sunday market from Rangers Ground and relocate it away from the city, claiming it negatively affects local businesses in Paltan Bazaar. However, many shoppers and residents expressed their concern over the possibility of a permanent closure of the Sunday market, as the temporary halt has already caused panic in the area.
Munisha Tyagi shared her experience from last Sunday, stating that she visited Paltan Bazaar for shopping but found the crowd so overwhelming that she decided to return home without making any purchases. She attributed this situation to the temporary halt of the Sunday market at Rangers Ground, which has intensified the crowd at Paltan Bazaar, making it challenging for residents who rely on this market for their shopping. She voiced her fear that if the Sunday market is closed permanently, every weekend, particularly Sundays, will be chaotic with crowds, traffic congestion and others at Paltan Bazaar.
Another shopper, Vani Upadhyay, echoed these sentiments, recounting her experience of returning home without shopping due to the terrible crowd at the market on the said day. She highlighted that the crowd usually generated by the Sunday market has created a difficult situation at Paltan Bazaar and urged authorities to take this matter seriously.
Many other residents and shoppers have expressed similar concerns.
In response, president of DVMUVM Pankaj Masson acknowledged that last Sunday saw an unprecedented increase in crowd levels compared to typical Sundays. He said that the temporary halt of the Sunday market contributed to the crowding at Paltan Bazaar that day. However, he stated that this situation is not solely caused by the market’s closure. He reiterated the necessity of permanently relocating the Sunday market to alleviate the impact on local shopkeepers. To address traffic congestion and crowding at Paltan Bazaar, he suggested that the district administration consider banning four-wheelers, street vendors and other disturbances every day, especially on Sundays. He indicated that they will approach the administration regarding this matter soon, he said.
