Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has assured cloth vendors at Ponda Market that they will not be shifted from their current location during the upcoming 11-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
The assurance came after vendors opposed the Ponda Municipal Council’s (PMC) move to relocate them, citing the dilapidated condition of the old market building. Refusing to shift, the vendors sought the CM’s intervention, following which Sawant confirmed they could continue business at the present site during the festive period.
The PMC has been working on relocating market vendors to ensure safety, but the decision faced stiff resistance from traders worried about disruption of sales during the peak festival season.
Further discussions between vendors, the PMC, and the state government are expected after the festival to decide on a long-term solution for the market’s redevelopment.