MAPUSA
Acknowledging that diminishing footfalls has affected the business of shopkeepers in the municipal market, Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza said he along with the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) would try and find a way out over the issues facing the merchants in the current crisis.
“The business of Mapusa merchants has been affected as people do not come to the market as before. We will have to take some measures to ensure that people come in the market and the business starts booming in the market,” D’Souza said.
The Mapusa MLA along with the MMC Chairperson Ryan Braganza and MMC Chief Officer Kabir Shirgaonkar carried out an inspection of the market on Saturday morning.
Market Chairman Sushant Harmalkar, Councillor Franky Carvalho and Mapusa Merchants’ Association President Ashish Shirodkar were also present.
Continuing, D’Souza said Mapusa market is considered the hub of Bardez as people from other constituencies flocked to the market.
He said the pandemic had brought down the footfalls in the market which has affected the business of the merchants.
The merchants had recently written to the MMC about complaints against the parking contractor. They also urged the council to discourage vendors doing business in the periphery of the town, as it affected the business in the market.
“We held discussions with members of the MMA as to what steps can be taken to improve the inflow of the people in the market,” D’Souza said.
MMA President Ashish Shirodkar informed that the association had briefed the local MLA the MMC chairperson about the plans to increase the flow of customers in the market.
“We will have to organise some festivals or promotion campaigns to encourage people to come to the market. We need the council’s help in organising such programmes,” Shirodkar said.
“The MLA has asked us to come with a proposal so that the council can consider it,” he added.
