Diverse modes are being adopted for opposing the relocation of the bus stand some 12 km away from the city. Wearing black bands, waving black flags, sloganeering, beating drums and now the latest is ‘matki phoro andolan’ devised by Mahanagar Vyapar Mandal. The traders are threatening to boycott the upcoming local body poll if the State Govt chooses to stick to its relocation stance.
On Wednesday, the members of Mahanagar Vyapar Mandal led by its president Sunil Sethi and another leader of the traders Ashok Sharma said that if the bus stand is relocated away from the city area, their stir would become a full- blown movement in the coming days.
Speaking to The Pioneer, Sunil Sethi said, “It would spell disaster for the traders, hoteliers, inn owners and the pilgrims if the bus stand is relocated. All the traders of Mahanagar Vyapal Mandal would boycott the upcoming Municipal Corporation election. Not just us and the common people, the relocation of the bus stand would land the pilgrims too in difficulty.”
The president of Mahanagar Vyapar Mandal further alleged that during Ardhkumbh Mela, the bus stand had been revamped with a budget of Rs 8 crores. “It would go down the drains in case it is relocated,” he added.
Meanwhile, Congress has stepped into the anti-relocation stir, as the block Congress committee members vented protest by beating cymbals, dhol and other musical instruments on the roads. The block head of the party Tarun Nayyar said that the relocation decision would affect over one lakh people. “The pilgrims reaching Har Ki Pauri will face a lot of problems too,” he added.
A letter has been sent by the Communist Party of India to the chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, requesting him to allow the bus stand resume its operations from its current location opposite the railway station. They argued that the current location is ideal for the people and the commuters.
Faction of BJP workers favour relocation
While the proposed relocation has triggered a robust stir the activists of the ruling BJP have hit the streets in support of the administration’s decision to shift the bus stand. The BJP workers from Alpsankhyak Prakoshth took out a procession lending support to the relocation from Kassaban Mohalla to Pul Jatwada. They said that they had written to the CM, lending full support to the move. Jamshed Khan, a member of the wing, said that Cong workers raise hackles whenever there is a talk of development of Jwalapur town. “They politicise every issue,” said Jamshed and slammed Cong leader Ambrish Kumar and Satpal Brahmchari, alleging that the duo is blocking development for politics.