Even after getting verbal permission from the mayor and the Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) officers, the vendors associated with the Sunday Market Association have yet again failed to trade in the selected area on Sunday. When they came to set up their vends in the earmarked place near Bindal Pul, the officers of  Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) stopped them from doing so. The officers stated that the area being MDD property, the vendors must obtain  permission in writing to trade from there.            

Margoob Ali, the head of the Sunday Market Association, said, “We went there to set up vends following verbal permission from the mayor Sunil Uniyal ‘Gama’ and municipal commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey. But we were stopped. MCD had assured us that the place would be made ready for  our trading and we would be given an order in writing for setting up Sunday market, but nothing was done.”

He further said, “We are in deep crisis as nothing is happening to help us trade to earn our living. Had we been provided with a written order  we could have traded after eight/nine months. We would, however, wait this week for  the officials to provide us with the written order,” he added.

Members of the association stated that the total number of vendors under the association are around 300.

Notably, three spots had been chosen for setting up the Sunday market after an inspection was done by the mayor Sunil Uniyal ‘Gama’ and the members of the association. But in a week, one place near Bindal Pul had been selected.   The members further alleged that many of them have been slapped with fines and cases for setting up shops sans permission by police.  

It is pertinent to mention that despite MCD having launched a drive to remove the unregistered vendors from the city, some vendors were found trading from areas along Parade Ground, Dispensary Road and Pant Road on Sunday. “The officers have done nothing against them while we are being removed from wherever we set up vends to trade,” grumbled a member of the Sunday Market Association.