The shopkeepers relocated for the widening of Chakrata Road about seven years ago continue to suffer loss in business due to various issues being faced at the Food and Entertainment City complex built by the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) near the Clock Tower.
Situated at a prime location near the Clock Tower, this complex continues to suffer from poor maintenance among other issues. The staircases leading to ground floor from basement were dirty and in need of repairs.
Spit stained walls and cobwebs on staircases further exhibit the lack of regular cleaning and maintenance which not only upsets the shopkeepers but also the customers. Leaking roof on the ground floor is left unattended even after the shopkeepers complained to the authority concerned.
A shopkeeper on condition of anonymity said that they have to clean the space in front of their shops themselves as there is no proper system in place for maintaining sanitation.
The toilet on the ground floor is locked while the other four floors have no toilets. The mall is supposed to have eight lifts but only one is working, the shopkeeper added. A large dumb of construction debris and waste can be seen besides the Uttara Museum of Contemporary Art located in the same compound. Vishal Gupta, a chemist in the complex, said, “The dump has not been cleared for three months. Waste is regularly dumped on it which causes the dust to enter into the shops.
We have complained but this practice has not yet been stopped. There is no proper fire safety. A water pipe has been installed on the boundary wall of the mall but we are not informed about the controls of the system.
Walls near the staircases have not been whitewashed for years. Only the external walls of the complex are being maintained for the sake of appearance.” Another major setback which has kept the customers from visiting the mall is the parking charges.
This has reduced the number of customers visiting the mall as stated by many shopkeepers. In the initial stages of the multi-level parking facility, no charges were imposed on vehicles exiting the mall within 45 minutes of their entry.
Since last year parking charges have been imposed on vehicles entering the mall. The parking charge for a two-wheeler is Rs 15 and Rs 30 for a four-wheeler for four hours.
On parking beyond four hours, Rs five is charged on an hourly basis. Though the parking charges may not seem that high, this too has affected the flow of customers to shops located in this complex.