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After demolition of shops, displaced Ayodhya traders target admn
Ayodhya traders have accused the local administration of going ahead with the road expansion work, disregarding their objections
Ayodhya traders have accused the local administration of going ahead with the road expansion work, disregarding their objections.
Nearly 120 ‘prasad’ (sweet meat) shops, at the famous Hanuman Garhi road, have already been demolished.
Families into sweet meat business since generations have been rendered jobless due to the demolition and traders claimed that the local administration has gone ahead with the project without taking into consideration the problems faced by them.
The Ayodhya administration officials, however, said all the shopkeepers have been either compensated or will be allotted new shops.
The traders still claim that they felt cheated.
“During the assembly poll campaign, the CM Yogi Adityanath had promised to consult us (traders) before rolling out the project. He gave this assurance during his roadshow in Ayodhya, a day before campaigning came to an end here,” said Pradeep Gupta, a sweet meat shopkeeper whose shop was demolished at Hanuman Garhi.
“After assembly poll and BJP’s return to power, all promises were forgotten,” added Gupta.
Trader leader Nand Lal Gupta, who has been raising traders’ issues, pointed out that the state government did not pay heed to any of our requests.
Tej Narain Pandey alias Pawan Pandey, former Samajwadi Party MLA from Ayodhya assembly seat, said: “The state government took unilateral decision without taking into consideration genuine problems of traders.”
“Those who were into sweet meat business for the last three generations have been rendered jobless,” he added.
The Ayodhya administration has promised to allot shops to traders at Tedhi Bazar and Kaushlesh Kunj where new shopping complexes are coming up. But shopkeepers said the locations were far away from the temple and hence unsuitable for them.
“ Both the new locations, Tedhi Bazar and Kaushlesh Kunj, are far away from Hanuman Garhi. How can you expect anyone to sell ‘prasad’ from there?” said Gyan Prakash, one of the traders at Hanuman Garhi road.
Projects
Ram Path (Sahadatganj to Nayaghat), Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Path (Sugriv Quila Marg to Ram Janmabhoomi) and Bhakti Path (Shringar Haat to Ram Janmabhoomi).
Proposed road widening
