MAPUSA
While gearing up to celebrate the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, the Mapusa Municipal market committee has decided to dedicate one full lane in the municipal market to ‘matoli’ vendors.
The market committee has also recommended parking of vehicles near the new KTC bus-stand for 15 days during the chaturthi.
The Chairman of market committee of the Mapusa Municipal Council, Ashirwad Khorjuvenkar informed that the traditional ‘matoli’ bazaar will be allowed only in one lane in the market from J K Wines to Nasnodkar shops for the convenience of the consumers and the vendors alike.
He said no vegetable and fruit vendors will be allowed inside the matoli bazaar.
“We have decided not to allow vendors in the first lane near the main entry gate of the maket in order to avoid chaotic scenes. The lane is usually used for parking but this facility will also not be allowed during the festival for free movement of people visiting the market,” Khorjuvenkar said.
He said a pre-marked space of 1.5 x 1.5 metre will be allotted to all vendors and the same will be numbered.
All the decisions were recently taken among the members of the market committee which will now be placed before the council meeting for approval on September 6.
The market committee chairman informed that the demand of keeping five metre open space for the entry of a fire tender in case of any eventuality also came up for discussion.
He said the proposal may not be feasible during the festival but the same will be discussed during the council meeting.
The market committee proposed to shift parking of two-wheelers and four-wheelers at the open space near the new KTC bus-stand for a period of 15 days during the Chaturthi.
It was also suggested to barricade the main road near the market from the Sirsat building to the Canara Bank.
Khorjuvenkar said that the firework stalls will be permitted to set shop at its usual area opposite the taxi-stand provided they take permission from the fire department.
He also said that vendors selling decorative items will be allowed to set up their stalls in the first lane near the main gate.
“Permission for fire work and decoration stalls should not be given for more than 15 days and payment should be collected in advance before setting up of the stalls,” he said.
He said since the staff of the Mapusa Municipal Council will be collecting the sopo this year additional staff will have to be deputed to collect sopo during the festival time.
