Malu Kerni
Once known as the main commercial hub of the city, 150-year-old Kanak Mandi-Rajinder Bazar is losing its dignity. Due to the indifference of the administration, which has failed to come up with a facelift plan for the historic market, the main commercial hub is struggling and has turned into a parking lot.
It is a nightmare to walk through the markets. There is no space for commuters to walk as vehicles have eaten up all the space. It is a terrible reminder about the failure of the administration to improve the basic infrastructure.
The market with crumbling structures in the background witnesses long queues of vehicles on a daily basis. Long queues of load carriers from the market Chowk to the other end at the Residency Road, often block the path of pedestrians.
The footpaths here are storing and display space for shopkeepers and leaving no space for commuters. Vendors can be seen selling their products on these footpaths and no one is there to question them. Many shopkeepers have also occupied the space by keeping their merchandise on the footpaths. In the absence of a check, the commuters are left with no other option than to walk in the middle of the road which too is occupied by the haphazardly parked vehicles. People here can park their vehicles wherever they find space, as no one is there to keep a check on this.
This casual approach of the government is the one of the reasons why the old commercial hub is losing its glory. People today prefer to shop in malls, Gandhi Nagar market and are neglecting this 150 yr old market. It is also pertinent to mention here that the shopkeepers too are responsible for the decline in footfall in this market and this is because they have encroached the footpaths, parked their vehicles haphazardly in front of the shops, have allowed other persons to park their vehicle that too in the middle of the road. All this make this market look chaotic and messy and customers find it difficult to shop or roam in the market.
The government needs to pay attention towards this historic market and should take prior steps for its development as it has the potential to attract tourists and customers and can play a vital role in the economic development of the people associated with it.
