Residents question admn ‘turning blind eye’ to holding of special sale bazar

The special sale bazar that has become an annual feature on days before and after the Republic Day here is proving to be a litmus test for the local administration as far as managing the heavy rush and traffic chaos is concerned.

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As owners of shops and commercial establishments in Chaura Bazar, Main Bazar, Raikot Adda and near Railway Road are divided over the holding of the event, the administration is left with only one option, which is to check overcrowding, regulate traffic and prevent scuffles among customers, shopkeepers, vendors and passersby.

As the holding of the annual ‘sale bazar’ is a boon for some and bane for others, neither of the stakeholders take permission from the authorities concerned, particularly during a period when the state police leaves no stone unturned to prevent intrusion of miscreants ahead of the Republic Day celebrations.

A shopkeeper said, “We fail to understand why the administration has closed its eyes towards this when the government is spending crores of rupees on undertaking statewide exercises for the safety of people.”

Shopkeepers alleged that some officials were hand-in-glove with the ‘organisers’, who mint money through exorbitant rents for vends in front of shops.

President, municipal council, Vikas Krishan Sharma said he had advised officials to extend every help to the local police in maintaining law and order and regulation of traffic around the market, where the special sale bazar was organised every year.

City SHO Aditya Sharma acknowledged that maintaining law and order during the event had remained an uphill task for the administration during the past couple of years. “This year we have restricted entry of two wheelers and four wheelers in more congested areas during the sale days,” said Sharma, appreciating that the civic body had agreed to place barricades at specified points.

Sharma further said that proactive measures had been taken to prevent anti-social elements from creating nuisance during busy days. Deployment of extra force, including female cops, installation of CCTV cameras and establishment of temporary parking places were cited as part of the arrangements being made by the administration.

Senior functionaries of police and the MC will oversee the arrangements at the market where the bazar is held ahead of Republic Day.