VALPOI The Covid pandemic had led to a surge in roadside vendors at Valpoi town and with people flocking to these makeshift marts, business at the weekly Tuesday market in Valpoi has been severely affected and shopkeepers now fear losing business permanently during the weekly market.The weekly Tuesday market in Valpoi had been a big attraction not only for people in the
municipality, but for people across and beyond Sattari taluka.But during the lockdown and when Covid cases began to rise in Sattari taluka, the Valpoi Municipal Council (VMC) had shut down the market area for about a month.Within a short while, there was a short supply of vegetables and fruits. Seizing the opportunity, roadside vegetable and fruit vendors began to spread in different parts of the town and this attracted people in need of their vegetables and fruits.When lockdown restrictions were subsequently lifted, the VMC reopened the market. However, people continued to patronise the roadside vendors much to the dismay of the shopkeepers at the Valpoi market.As a result, a fewer number of people began visiting the Valpoi market and business was severely affected.“Even though the Valpoi market has reopened, the roadside vendors continue to do business and this has adversely affected the official and registered vegetable shops in the market and around Valpoi town,” complained a shopkeeper, Mohammad khan.Fruit seller, Gulshan Ansari, commented that the weekly Tuesday market in Valpoi had traditionally been a good opportunity for business.“However, the weekly market in Valpoi town has now come to a complete standstill and this has had a huge huge impact on all our businesses,” said Ansari.
