LAHORE: Crowds of people visiting Ramzan bazaars set up in various areas of the city, to buy daily-use items at cheaper rates, have complained about the poor quality and shortage of eatables, long queues at stalls and mismanagement.

The district administration has established 32 Ramzan bazaars in different parts of the city. The bazaars are in Begum Kot, Mochi Gate ground, Badami Bagh, Thokar Niaz Beg, Sabzazar, Moon Market of Gulshan-i-Ravi, Naeem Shaheed Road, Kareem Park ground, Shah Baba ground in Islampura, Nehru Park, Bedian Road, Harbanspura, Chungi Dogash, Abbas Athar Park in Tajpura, Makkah Colony, Model Town’s Q block Dhalay flats, Barkat Market, Ghalib Market ground, Township Tipu Chowk, Nishtar Colony on Ferozepur Road, Samanabad, Wahdat Colony, Kahna Nau, Shadman Wapda Grid Station, Sher Shah Colony Raiwind, Mian Plaza Johar Town, Raiwind, Chung, Shadbagh Gool ground, China Scheme, Telephone Exchange Baghbanpura, Jallo Mor GT Road, and Paragon City Barki Road.

The bazaars were established to serve the masses with subsidised items and relief in this holy month. The bazaars are to have grocery shops, agriculture fair price shops, meat and poultry shops and flour and sugar sale points.

A visitor at Wahdat Colony Bazaar, Aysha Bibi, told Dawn that she visited the Ramzan bazaar but hardly found any discount on food, groceries and other commodities.

She said she had to buy the commodities at high prices like other markets and there was also a shortage of flour and edible oil.

She said poor quality edible oil was being sold in the bazaar.

Lots of people were also seen making queues at vegetable shops to buy tomatoes, onions and other vegetables.

One of the visitors, Ismail, said that he was there to buy tomatoes only, which would consume his 30 minutes. He demanded that the number of vegetable shops increased in the bazaar.

He said there was a shortage of tomatoes in the market. “I’m here to buy tomatoes for a week,” he said.

Elderly people were also seen waiting in queues to buy commodities and there was also a lack of cleanliness in the bazaar.

Earlier, the district administration announced plans to establish a help desk, and install camps, stalls, waiting areas and parking spaces but the Thokar Niaz Baig and Wahdat Colony bazaars would lack these facilities.

Another visitor at Thokar Niaz Baig bazaar said that there was a shortage of sugar in the bazaar.

He said the government should ensure the availability of sugar till the closing time of the bazaar.

Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department Secretary Wajeehullah Kundi visited various Ramzan bazaars of the provincial metropolis to review the arrangements.

Deputy Commissioner Umar Sher Chattha gave a detailed briefing about arrangements.

Mr Kundi said separate counters have been established for male, female and senior citizens.

Lahore Commissioner retired Capt Muhammad Usman also visited Islampura and Shadman bazaars to review the arrangements.

He also checked security and parking spaces. He also inquired about the quality of the flour, sugar, meat, vegetables, fruits and other items.

While talking to the media, Mr Usman said that a number of the items with subsidized rates were available in the bazaar and special efforts were being made to provide all items.

He said a large number of people were taking benefit from these stalls and the quality of the items was also improved.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2022