While the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) is planning execution of the Chakrata Road redevelopment plan and other ambitious projects, the shopkeepers of Chakrata Road shifted earlier to the new MDDA complex at Clock Tower to facilitate the widening of this road are still not satisfied with the facilities provided in the new complex.
Most of the shopkeepers shifted to this complex accuse the MDDA and State Government of not fulfilling the promises made to the traders. The traders have large number of complaints on issues including improper parking facilities, inadequate security arrangements, maintenance and other issues which are affecting their business.
Contrary to expectations, the MDDA shopping complex has failed to attract large crowd of customers. Issues related to security of the female shopkeepers is completely neglected here in the complex says Poonam Chawla, owner of the shop, South Indian Dishes. She adds that contrary to the agreement with MDDA, the authority allotted lesser area here in the complex compared to the shops which were demolished for road widening. Poonam said that they had communicated their complaint to the District Magistrate several times but to no avail.
Echoing similar sentiments, Naresh Kalra of Gupta Sports House, says, “We are suffering about 20 per cent cash loss due to our shops being shifted to this complex. About 20 per cent of our property is left at the Chakrata Road. The government is planning to sell the remaining properties to the builders for their own profit and we are not going to get any share in it,” he opined.
Government has not only failed to fulfill all its promises but has also neglected the demands of the traders. Satyam Singh of Crazy Moments says that earlier he had a double-storey shop on Chakrata Road which is now replaced by a single room shop here at the new shopping complex. Only about 20 shops are operating in this complex which is a sign of the deteriorated State of business. Apart from this, the authority has not yet completed construction work in this complex which poses problems for both the traders and shoppers.