Sarafa Chowpatty dispute resolved, ban on Chinese eatery shops

••The mayor had said on the first day that Chowpatty will not be removed

…..The matter was settled in half an hour: half of them bowed down, half of them bowed down

•••After the Shradh Paksha, Chowpatty will be set up from 9:30, the rest of the shops will not be allowed to be set up

•••A nine-member committee will decide the arrangement of Sarafa and Chowpatty afresh

Kirti Rana

Indore. Finally, the dispute going on for a fortnight between Sarafa traders and Chowpatty shopkeepers has been settled. Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava had said on the first day that Chowpatty will not be removed from Sarafa, and that is what happened. Sarafa traders had passed a proposal in the general meeting to keep the shops open till 10 pm, after the Shradh Paksha, the shops of Chowpatty will start being set up in Sarafa from 9:30 pm. The decision taken by the tripartite nine-member committee for Sarafa and Chowpatty will be acceptable to all parties.
The mayor held a joint meeting with Sarafa traders and Chowpatty shopkeepers on Monday afternoon. The mayor took the initiative of coordination between the two parties and the result was that both the parties agreed to maintain the heritage of Indore.
▪️All parties will be in the 9-member committee
The decision of Sarafa traders to keep the shops open till 10 pm will remain in force till Shraddha Paksha. A 9-member committee is being formed after taking the opinion of all the parties in the meeting held with the mayor. It will have 3 members including chairman Hukam Soni from gold-silver traders, 3 from Chowpatty traders Ram Gupta, Bunty Yadav and Natwar Neema and 3 members from corporation officials and MIC members. The mayor himself will also be a part of the committee, this committee will prepare a blueprint on format, time-scheduling and security in 5 to 7 days.
It was also suggested in the meeting that the operating time of Chowpatty should be decided according to the time of gold and silver trade. Keeping in mind fire safety and the nature of traditional shops, the committee will decide on this.

▪️Mayor expressed gratitude to bullion traders

Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava said that bullion traders are the identity of Indore. It is with their cooperation that the city has created a different image across the country. I express my gratitude on behalf of the whole of Indore for his decision in the interest of the city.

The Mayor clarified that Indore is a city of dialogue and coordination. With the cooperation of traders, Chowpatty will be presented in a safe, beautiful and disciplined form with traditional shops after the Shraddha Paksha.

We are also in favor of Chowpatty heritage: Hukam Soni

Hukam Soni, President of Indore Silver-Gold Jewelry Traders Association, told Prajatantr that Chowpatty is the heritage of Indore and we also agree with it. We also agree with the assurances given by him in the meeting with the Mayor regarding the improvement of the market and security arrangements. We want their business to run and our issues to be resolved.

▪️Gratitude to Sarafa Association and Mayor: Ram Gupta

Sarafa Chowpatty Association President Ram Gupta said that we are especially grateful to Sarafa Association along with the Mayor. If the Mayor allows only traditional shops for Sarafa Chowpatty, then we agree. If the shops of toys, South Indian food, clothes, shoes and slippers are removed, then we have no objection. Whatever decision the nine-member committee takes, we will also follow it.

▪️The nine-member committee will crack down on those who set up more than one shop

The Sarafa shops whose sheds are rented out. Some of the Chowpatty shopkeepers have given these sheds on high rent to other shopkeepers. This is the reason why some shopkeepers are running more than one shop. This nine-member committee will crack down on such shopkeepers as well. The problems of the bullion traders would have increased-
The common citizens of the city have appreciated the generosity shown by the bullion association by giving up its stubbornness, but also said it is also said that if the traders had not given up their stubbornness, the rules of the Municipal Corporation would have proved to be a burden for them. Many flaws like construction against the map in many buildings in Bada-Chota Sarafa with narrow streets and construction of shops in the basement approved for parking in the map could also have caused unnecessary tension for the Sarafa traders.