M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, July 8: The sabzi mandi between Vishnu Mandir and the Sattar Seth Chowk is in the eye of a storm. It has been operational here for more than three decades, with a maximum 5-hour business right on the street every day, from the wee hours of the night to as late as 9 in the morning.
With the expansion of the town Daltonganj and a steep rise in the number of bikes, cars, and other modes of transportation over the years, the sabzi mandi on the street looks imposing. A section of people has raised voices of its relocation from this stretch to some other stretch in the town which is opposed by those involved in the business.
Sources said that the two sides have their own logic as the section which wants its shifting or relocation cites issues of congestion, inconvenience in traffic, etc., while the section which wants to hold on here, claims its business does not affect the traffic as it is now blown out.
On Friday, City Commissioner Ravi Anand visited the stretch and took stock of the situation. He told a section of media, “There is no denying the fact that parking of heavy vehicles loaded with veggies, etc here causes immense congestion and inconvenience in trafficking. It calls for decongestion, and decongestion is in the larger interest of all the stakeholders here. A bigger and open space other than where this sabzi mandi is operational will be far more business promoting and convenient to all.”
Adding further, Anand said, “We have identified two such big, wide and open spaces for the relocation. It is the open space at our old Sadar Block Office. The other is the old bus stand. Both have immense opportunities to offer”.
“There will be no parking of heavy vehicles at this stretch right now onwards. Let every stakeholder keep in mind that traffic and movement in the street have to be clear of any impediments”, said Anand.
On being asked if the relocation of the sabzi mandi will be sudden and abrupt, he said, “We believe the stakeholders will themselves realize that when a bigger space is made available to them then there is no point in doing commercial activity right in some such location where there are multiple issues big of its congestion and inconvenience in vehicular movement.”
“Let no stakeholder try to find out any ulterior motive or design or even try to spin out any such as administration is very clear of the issue which no stakeholder can afford to deny that congestion in the street has to be removed once for all,” he said.
