About a month after the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun set up a vending zone at Chhe Number Puliya, not all of the vendors are completely satisfied with the initiative taken up by the MCD. One of the major problems faced by them is that the carts are placed in two rows. As asserted by many of them the hindmost trolleys are not being visited by customers.
“The step taken by MCD is good but we have lost many customers as there is not enough parking space now because of the two rows,” said a vegetable vendor who didn’t want to be named.
According to the deputy municipal commissioner Rohitash Sharma, the double rows should not be a problem as the space for the market was allotted after a lot of consideration. People who are complaining about parking must consider walking to the market as most of them live nearby. “If they come in four wheelers to the vending zone, traffic jam is inevitable. Hence, it is my request to the public to either walk or use their two wheelers instead of cars to the market,” said Sharma.
According to Sharma, MCD took up this project for the convenience of both the people and the vendors. However, the vendors expressed mixed views about it.
“This new cart seems fine but business is not the same as it used to be earlier. It takes four days in a row to sell all the stock now. I think it will take time as it is a new step,” said Madan Shah, another vegetable vendor.
A group of vendors said that their business had gone down because they are not able to display all the vegetables and fruits in the new cart. The cart must be open from all the sides which is not possible as there is not enough space adjacent to each trolley.
However, some aspects of the new cart are being appreciated. “I like this trolley better as it is equipped with solar light and also because it is has a shed,” said fruit vendor Mohammed Arman.
The MCD charged a certain amount from vendors in order to dispense these carts to them. “We filled a form and paid an amount of Rs 1, 08,000 to the MCD for the carts. Many vendors have taken loans as well,” informed Arman.
On the other hand, some problems remain unaddressed in the vending zone. The MCD has provided the facility of mobile toilets in the zone but hasn’t unlocked the doors yet for the public to use. On this deputy municipal commissioner Rohitash Sharma said that they will look into the matter and resolve it as soon as possible.