MAPUSA
From a road divider to marking of the vendor space, the central Mapusa market square is getting spruced up for the fast approaching Chaturthi festival.
With the ‘matoli’ bazaar gaining prominence during the Ganesh festival, Mapusa market becomes a beehive of activity three days preceding the Chaturthi.
The entire municipal market becomes abuzz with activity as people rush to the market to make purchases for the biggest festival in Goa.
The PWD has taken up the work to install the road divider on the main market road and is expected to complete it by the end of the week.
Vice Chairperson of Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) Viraj Phadke said the installation of the median on the main market road was part of the beautification work.
He said the divider will go a long way to restore some semblance of discipline over the traffic chaos experienced along the stretch.
“In the long run it will definitely benefit to bring about discipline and help to maintain smooth flow of traffic movement. Initially, there will be some inconvenience to people but when things fall in line it will be good for everyone,” Phadke opined.
But not everyone was amused.
According to Pandurang Sawant, the Joint Secretary of the Mapusa Merchants’ Association, the divider will create more problems rather than resolving the traffic mess that happens around the market square.
“For all that you know, the divider is going to further aggravate the traffic mess in the market area. The open road allowed motorists to negotiate through the heavy traffic movement. With the divider one may experience long queues of vehicles,” Sawant said.
Meanwhile, with the MMC deciding to allot the entire second lane of the municipal market to the traditional ‘matoli’ bazaar, the civic officials have begun marking and numbering fixed space for the vendors on the lane.
Mapusa market committee chairman, Ashirwad Khorjuvenkar said the purpose to mark the space was to maintain discipline and avoid chaos in the market.
“Over the years we have seen the market getting crowded with vendors selling matoli goods. In the process the consumers get hassled as they do not get adequate space to walk. We want to create a win-win situation both for the vendors and the consumers,” Khorjuvenkar said.
