Saturday, 22 February 2025 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Doon Valley Mahanagar Udyog Vyapar Mandal (DVMUVM) will submit a letter to Dehradun mayor Saurabh Thapliyal regarding street vendors in the core area of Paltan Bazaar during weekends especially on Sundays, to manage the rising number of visitors. Many shopkeepers and customers have raised concerns regarding the increased footfall, especially on Sundays. They state that if crowd management is not prioritised soon, there may be a heightened risk of theft in the Paltan Bazaar during weekends.
Customer Rajni Negi stated that earlier she enjoyed visiting the market on weekends. However, she now hesitates to visit the market on the weekend due to the overwhelming number of people present on such days in Paltan Bazaar. The crowd has grown so substantially on Sundays that the likelihood of theft has increased. To mitigate such concerns, it is essential for authorities to address crowd management proactively.
“The growing number of visitors to the market, particularly on weekends, can be largely attributed to the presence of street vendors. Many individuals are drawn to the market to purchase items from these vendors, which in turn affects the sales of shopkeepers. Street vendors occupy much of the roadway, narrowing the passages in Paltan Bazaar which exacerbates congestion. Measures must be implemented to manage the crowd, especially on Sundays when the market attracts a diverse group of visitors due to the day off for many individuals,” stated shopkeeper Prince Nagpal (name changed).
Other shopkeepers have similarly voiced their concerns regarding the increased foot traffic during weekends, particularly on Sundays.
The president of the DVMUVM Pankaj Masson said that that he has observed a significant increase in crowds at Paltan Bazaar during weekends. The influx of visitors on Sundays is largely due to children being off from school and adults having the day off from work, which encourages family outings to the market. However, many shoppers experience challenges while navigating the market due to street vendors, where individuals tend to congregate to purchase items at lower prices. To effectively manage the crowd at Paltan Bazaar, he believes that the best solution would be to relocate the street vendors to separate spots. This would allow those who prefer buying from vendors to visit other locations, thereby alleviating congestion in the market. He said that he plans to submit a letter to the mayor next week regarding the possibility of designating a specific zone for street vendors far from the Paltan Bazaar, so that the growing crowds can be managed more effectively over time.
