Fancy Bazar market relocation: Here’s how traders feel about Assam govt move

Guwahati: The Fancy Market wholesale market in Guwahati, one of the largest in the Assam capital, is likely to be shifted to a location in the sparsely-populated North Guwahati area on the outskirts of the city amid the state government's “decongestion” drive to reduce traffic.

“We have several proposals in hand to decongest Guwahati, and one of them is shifting the wholesale market [in Fancy Bazar]," Assam Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Ashok Singhal said recently. Singhal promised to implement the measures "soon,” as he felt that otherwise, Guwahati “would never be free from traffic congestion.”

For decades, the iconic Fanzy Bazar area has been an important economic nerve center in Guwahati. There are few things one won't find on this roughly 1 km stretch—from basic amenities to electronics to high fashion. Dozens of traders operating in the locality were understandably surprised when the state government announced the move. Business North East reached out to a few dealers operating out of the area for their views on the relocation.

“Everything happens as per the government's wish, and public decision does not matter as such anymore," Santosh Kumar, a dry fruit seller with a 30-year-old establishment in the area, told Business North East. “It took us years to set up a base here, but if the market is transferred to North Guwahati, it will take time for us to set it all up again and attract a similar footfall of customers.”

Md. Khalid, another dry fruit seller in the area, opined that moving to a different market area comes with “uncertainty of time and investment.” “I feel like our daily livelihoods will be affected because of this," he said. “Here, in Fancy Bazar, we have painstakingly set up a loyal customer base, but shifting will mean losing them.”

Khalid suggested that the government should have allocated an area near the botanical garden in the city instead of shifting the market to North Guwahati, which is quite far away.

Rajesh Kumar, a vegetable seller, feared that the shift would bring huge losses to his businesses. “I have been selling vegetables here for the last 10 years. Previously, my father used to run the stall. I cannot imagine having to move to another  location, he exclaimed.

Pawan Kumar Agarwal, a disposable item seller, said that the decision taken by the government is “totally wrong.” “Fancy Bazar has always been a hub for shopping, which is why we were able to attract customers. The government shouldn't shift the market. Instead, it should build a similar market in North Guwahati as well," he said.

These sentiments were echoed by a citizen, Raj Kumar Prasad, who felt that the government's decision was "unfair." “Fancy Bazar is a popular shopping destination and business hub. Many of us choose to buy commodities for parties, celebrations, and religious functions in the area. The government should build a similar market hub for another part of  Guwahati, he said.

Another citizen, who spoke to Business North East on the matter, pointed out that Guwahati has several wholesale markets already, so it won't matter in the long run. “Even if the market in Fancy Bazar is shifted to another location, it won't affect the people in a huge way," Pawan Agarwal, a citizen, told Business North East.

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