LAHORE: The government’s pilot project of establishing a ‘Rehri Bazaar’ (pushcart market) along canal road near Lal Pul couldn’t be successful as it failed to attract customers, forcing the pushcart vendors to leave it finally.

The government had launched the project worth millions of rupees a couple of months ago. The bazaar was established away from the main road so that customers rush couldn’t cause traffic congestion on the thoroughfare.

Govt plans to register new vendors

“The main issue is the location of the bazaar, which is a bit away from the road and customers can’t see the commodities. Therefore, I decided to move to some other place,” explains Aslam, a pushcart vendor.

He says the government should have considered practice of the area people, who are used to buying various things on their way while going somewhere. Owing to meagre sales, a majority of vendors has moved to other places from this bazaar.

However, an official of the Aziz Bhatti Town Municipal Administration has rejected the impression, claiming that the bazaar is situated at a very good location.

“The market runs till 5pm daily. But for the last some days, the presence of registered pushcart vendors is irregular. And that is why we decided to reorganise this bazaar by registering new vendors,” Aziz Bhatti Town Officer (Regulation) Mr Muhammad Anwar tells Dawn.

He says a majority of pushcart vendors use to sell various things by moving on roads, causing traffic congestion. “There was no issue of sale, as the main problem was with the vendors who don’t want to do business in an organised manner.”

He says the Aziz Bhatti Town administration will soon organise this bazaar with new vendors on a regular basis.

PRICES: The rates of most of the fruits available in Sunday bazaars were on the higher side.

According to a CDGL spokesman, of 32 fruits, prices of 14 increased, 11 registered a decrease while rates of seven were stable as compared to last week. Of 34 vegetables, 16 moved downward, 14 posted an increase and four had the same prices as were in last week, the spokesman said.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2016