Nagpur: As the tug-of-war between the Sitabuldi traders and hawkers intensifies, the former have given a call for market bandh on Wednesday. The current flare-up has resulted from the hawkers marking spaces on Sitabuldi main road to run their daily business. The merchants are opposed to the presence of hawkers on the street and said the latest action was illegal. To demand intervention of authorities, the traders as a mark of protest have decided to keep their establishments closed for the day.
The hawkers and traders are at loggerheads over the issue since long and many a time both parties have accused each other of tipping on each other’s toes.
The shopkeepers were of view that administration cannot be mute spectator as in the current pandemic there was need to avoid crowding in market places and hawkers, who have not yet been permitted to carry out their business, were marking out public places for themselves.
On Tuesday night at around 8 pm, the hawkers started the exercise to mark-out squares on either side of main road earmarking their spaces, leaving the shop-keepers annoyed as they did not know the reason for this exercise.
Some of the traders opposed the exercise as the earmarking of spaces would mean the occupation of Sitabuldi main road by hawkers would become a permanent feature.
In a bid to put across their point the traders hurriedly discussed the options available to them and it was decided to unitedly fight against this unauthorised exercise. As a token on Wednesday the market bandh call was finalised. After that future course of action will be decided, a local shopkeeper said.
From time to time civic and police officials have cracked down on the hawkers. Even after easing restrictions in view of a pandemic situation,there is no clarity on allowing hawkers on the streets.
In a bid to put across their point the traders hurriedly discussed the options available to the mandit was decided to unitedly fight against this unauthorised exercise. As a token on Wednesday the market bandh call was finalised. After that future course of action will be decided, a local shopkeeper said.
From time to time civic and police officials have cracked down on the hawkers. Even after easing of restrictions in view of pandemic situation,there is no clarity on allowing hawkers on the streets.
But with official view veering around to opening all sectors of economy, the administration too has gone soft on hawkers.
But with official view veering around to opening all sectors of the economy, the administration too has gone soft on hawkers.
Earlier, Commissioner of Police, Amitesh Kumar after taking rounds of city markets had frowned upon encroachers and the hawkers were evicted thereafter. The marking of spaces seems to be a bid to ensure that hawkers remain confined to their section so that traffic flow on the busy Sitabuldi main road remains smooth and congestion is avoided.
