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Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Business suffers at Radhamani Haat

Business suffers at Radhamani Haat

Statesman News Service
TAMLUK, Sept. 30: For shopkeepers it is the time to spruce up their stock as the shopping rush for Durga Puja and Id has reached its peak at the Radhamani Haat, the second largest cloth market in the state here.

Sprawled over 35 acres of land, next to the National Highway-41, it is the workplace of thousands of people coming from nearby places on market days and cloth worth nearly Rs 15 crore is sold regularly here.

Radhamani Haat is not just the largest wholesale market for clothes catering to retailers and individual buyers but also a cloth-maker’s haven for accessories and materials.

Like a typical haat, transaction starts early in the morning at 5 am and continues till noon. Before the pujas and Id, business hours extend till eight in the evening.

However, business is suffering here, as no development work was taken up in the huge market complex, in spite of its role in boosting the economy of Haldia and Tamluk subdivisions. There is not one community latrine or proper drinking water facilities in the market. The traders keep their merchandise under makeshift shades.
The shopkeepers alleged: “The government had taken initiatives to upgrade facilities at Mangalahaat in Howrah, but no renovation work was taken up here.”

This market was set up under the patronage of the Mahishadal royal family in the mouzas of Murarikalua, Jayarambati, Hirapur and Bishnubar.
Since 1953, the Radhamani Bazaar Committee has been looking after the welfare of the market. The four sections of the market deal in four kinds of clothes.

Merchants from Midnapore, Nabadwip, Asansol, Burdwan, Howrah, North and South 24-Parganas, Jharkhand and Orissa come here regularly.
“Our business keeps growing every year. Basically, the malls and big brand dealers visit the haat regularly and buy cloths from here. Even the regular mall goers visit our market and their numbers keep increasing. But, it is disheartening for us to see that the local administration has no interest in this market,” said Mr Bikash Maity, a shopkeeper.
Mr Sujit Jana, who owns a makeshift stall in a narrow by-lane lined with scores of tiny shops selling sets of brocades, chiffons and cottons in various hues and designs, alleged that customers spend hours in these lanes but they feel insecure as incidents of snatching have taken place many times.

When asked about the matter, Mr Ranjit Mondol, a Trinamul Congress sabhadhipati of the Midnapore East zilla parishad said: “The CPI-M led zilla-parishad has not done anything for its development and its mini-market has been lying closed since its inauguration in 1992.

“The then sabhadhipati of Midnapore zilla parishad, Mr Harekrishna Samanta, inaugurated it on 26 December 1992. The early opening of this haat, without being provided with minimum facilities has led to this situation.
“This time, we have come in power and we will try to develop the market as quickly as possible,” Mr Mondal said.

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