Team Herald
MAPUSA: Encroachments on the footpaths by street vendors and shopkeepers in the Mapusa Municipal Market have come to haunt the local civic body.
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Consumers visiting the market complained that the shop keepers as well as the street vendors have blocked the footpaths by displaying their products. To add to their misery, the hawkers too have occupied the footpaths meant for pedestrians.
It is pertinent to note that the street vendors are charged Rs 10 per sq mtr daily as sopo charges while the shop owners pay the monthly rent.
It may be recalled that 12 years ago as per the High Court directive the Mapusa civic body under the supervision of then chief officer Sakharam Tukaram Sawant had cleared the footpaths of encroachments and the kiosks were reduced to their original size of 2×2 metres. Despite this, the cloth merchants, vendors selling plastic, electronics and other items have started displaying their products outside their shops.
A few street vendors squat outside the shops to sell their products.
It is learnt that these vendors pay sopo as well as Rs 100 to 200 per day to the shop keeper as daily charges to occupy the space outside the shops thereby blocking the pathway.
Despite the three market inspectors operating in the Mapusa Market the situation has turned from bad to worse as there is no single corridor or pathway where visitors can move freely.
When contacted Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) chairperson Shubhangi Vaigankar said, “We are trying to clear the encroachments in the market. The new elected council is studying the issue. We have already held one meeting to discuss the same and soon another meeting will be scheduled to discuss and understand the issue”.
