PNS | DEHRADUN
The Doon Valley Mahanagar Udyog Vyapar Mandal (DVMUVM) will submit a letter to Dehradun mayor Saurabh Thapliyal within a week. The traders’ body will request the establishment of a separate vendors’ zone in the outer areas of the city, away from Paltan Bazaar. This is aimed at reducing the increased crowding during weekends and to protect the business profit of local shopkeepers in the Paltan Bazaar area. It will be recalled that recently, The Pioneer had highlighted concerns of the shopkeepers and customers about increased footfalls in this area in the heart of the city, particularly on Sundays. They believe that if crowd management is not prioritised soon, there may be a higher risk of theft in Paltan Bazaar during weekends, especially on Sundays.
Considering this earlier, DVMUVM president Pankaj Masson had said that many shoppers have difficulty navigating the market due to street vendors, where individuals tend to gather to purchase items at lower prices. To effectively manage the crowd at Paltan Bazaar, he believes the best solution would be to relocate street vendors to designated areas. This would allow those who prefer buying from such vendors to visit other locations, thus alleviating congestion in the market.
Informing about the current status of this initiative, Masson informed that he has not yet contacted the mayor due to a busy schedule, but he considers the issue of increased crowds during weekends and its impact on shopkeepers’ businesses a priority that needs to be resolved promptly. He plans to approach the mayor within a week, advocating for the creation of a separate vendors’ zone far from Paltan Bazaar. This initiative aims to not only reduce crowding in the market during weekends but also protect shopkeepers’ businesses from decline.
He further added that the Sunday market, which held at Rangers Ground, is negatively affecting local shopkeepers. Therefore, he intends to request the mayor to relocate the Sunday market to a different location, away from city markets, to resolve the sales issues faced by shopkeepers. Many shopkeepers have expressed concern about the Sunday market at Rangers Ground affecting their businesses. One shopkeeper, Prince, stated that customers prefer shopping at the Sunday market because items are cheaper, which adversely impacts their livelihoods. In addition to this, shopkeepers like him are unable to cover workers’ salaries and other expenses because of this situation. He emphasised that the authorities must take action to address this situation.
