PONDA: Chaos reigned supreme in Ponda’s main market as vendors selling fruit, vegetable and decorative items allegedly encroached upon the footpaths and parking spaces resulting in massive traffic jams causing immense hardship to a large number of people, who visited the market for Diwali shopping.
The police and Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) officials rushed to spot and initiated action against vendors.
On the Weekly Market day (Saturday), a large number of local vendors beside migrants encroached upon the footpaths and parking spaces thereby leaving no space for vehicle parking. The vendors conducting sales by the roadside caused traffic jams which inconvenienced shoppers.
It is pertinent to note that during Ganesh Chaturthi there is proper diversion of vehicles but however there was no such arrangement on Diwali occasion which led to traffic congestion.
Some shop owners too used the parking spaces to conduct their businesses.
Further chaos prevailed as a large number of vendors from Karnataka arrived not only sat at prime spots in the market but also carried out sales along the internal roads thereby causing losses to local vendors.
It may be recalled that recently the vendors in the Ponda market had demanded that the government stop migrant vendors from visiting Goa during festivals as they were eating into their business. Ponda market vendors said if Karnataka vendors are allowed in the market then it will finish Goan flower and fruit vendors.
