Congestion concern rises as street vendors grow
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 23 2020:
With the relaxation of lockdown duration and as the Khwairamband keithel remained closed, there is a phenomenal growth of vegetable, fruit and fish vendors across streets in and around the keithel and other localities of Imphal city.
The growth of these makeshift or new street markets may ease vegetable buyers, however it has its own negative side as bid to control gathering and congestion in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic goes for a toss.
All of the streets where vending of vegetables, fruits and fish are flourishing, are posing a serious threat as they remain occupied and congested with vehicles of buyers and commuters despite the growing COVID-19 issue in the State.
Similar scenes are not new at Lamlong keithel as the market remains busy and compact from morning to dusk with buyers and vendors who do not care for the physical distance or use of masks as prescribed by Health authorities as a measure to curb the spread of COVID-19.This reporter has also found that buyers who came along vehicles, parked their vehicles at will without caring for the congestion to be caused.
The morning scene along Nagamapal road stretch, Khuyathong Pukhri Achouba is also the same as buyers and vendors line up for their business causing serious congestion in the area.
Sunday is the only day which bears a calming look on this road stretch as no sale is allowed on this particular day.
Not only these portions, the road stretch starting from Pureiromba Keithel to Wangkhei Keithel Asangbi are also getting congested as many people vending vegetables, fruits, fish and even clothes started doing business on both sides of the road stretch.
This marketlike stretch usually remains packed and congested during early morning.
Speaking to this reporter, some vendors expressed that they took up the business, not willingly but out of desperation after COVID-19 pandemic hit the State leaving many jobless.
"We are bearing household expenses with the small business of selling vegetables and fruits," they said.
"We are also afraid of COVID-19 infection, but it has become the question of survival.
So we opted for selling vegetables, fruits or fish as survival means," they added.
One of the buyers told the Sangai Express that it is becoming hard to bear the expenses during COVID-19 time.
Cost of vegetables sold in local vendors has risen to an unexpected level that it has become hard to meet the one requirement of vegetables with Rs 500.Since local vendors are charging unreasonably high, we had to opt to main markets where costs are bit lower even as COVID-19 threats remain high, the buyer said.