Mumbai: BMC shuts Dadar wholesale market – Times of India

MUMBAI: Amidst the Covid-19 scare in the city, the BMC decided to shut its Dadar wholesale vegetable market after almost 5,000 people were seen crowding it on Wednesday.
Last week, the civic body had already decided to shift the wholesale and retail vendors coming to Dadar market to a four open grounds in the eastern and western suburbs like the Somaiya Grounds near Sion, MMRDA ground at BKC, and areas like the Mulund and Dahisar toll Naka. Despite this it was found that those vendors who were being allowed to come upto Dadar to cater to the needs of the retail vendors from South Mumbai area were causing huge crowds. On Wednesday morning a video on twitter showing thousands of persons at 6 am in Dadar vegetable market went viral.

BMC officials were seen quickly swinging into action and have hence decided to shut the market completely. Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner of BMC G North ward said, “Looking at the crowds on Wednesday morning despite the need for social distancing in the current times, we cannot take any more chances. Therefore we have to shut the market entirely at Dadar. However vendors can sell vegetables at the four grounds where we have made adequate arrangements.”
Meanwhile several vendors of the market outside Matunga railway station were also in the process of being moved to Nappu Garden, Matunga East where they can maintain a social distancing while they are selling vegetables and fruits. KA Viswanathan a resident from the area said that he was surprised to see all the vendors stalls demolished suddely on Wednesday morning while he had stepped out to buy a few essentials.
Local corporator of the area Nehal Shah said that she had raised the issue of the Matunga market being very congested with vendors and also large crowds gathering in it. “Despite court orders of there being no vednors in the periohery of railway stations, in Matunga there are large number of vendors which continue to stay. Therefore in light of the Coronavirus spread in the city, it has been decided to move the vendors along the station road to either Nappu garden or GSB Sports Club Ground so that there is no overcrowding,” she said.

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