Delhi: Sarojini Market staff get ID cards to check crowd

NEW DELHI: To restrict illegal vendors and decongest Sarojini Nagar, market associations, following directions of the district administration on Friday, started distributing identity cards to shopkeepers and employees.
“We have issued IDs to most staff and are likely to complete the process by mid of next week. We are submitting a list of ID cards already issued to the SDM office. In some cases, market associations have attached a copy of Aadhaar card as identity proof. We have asked the employees to wear them or at least carry them while coming to the market,” said Ashok Kalra, general secretary, Sarojini Nagar Market Association (big shops).
A senior government official said, as soon as the market associations complete the process and revert, Delhi Police would deploy staff at the entries of the market to check the identity cards. “In case anyone manages to enter posing as a customer and later displays a stall, our civil defence volunteers can question them and Delhi Police can file an FIR immediately,” said the official.
“We have a decent number of civil defence volunteers engaged at the market to challan violators. Their numbers will increase after the plan is implemented,” the official added.
TOI visited the market on Friday and found some shopkeepers wearing the ID cards, while the crowd was comparatively less in the evening.
The district administration has also asked the shopkeepers to restrict the number of staff at each shop, depending on the availability of space.
“For small shops, such as those at the mini market, two staff and a shopkeeper, while in bigger ones, such as the main market, four staff and shopkeepers will be allowed. Those with extra staff have been asked to call them on alternate days,” said Ashok Randhawa, president, mini market traders’ association.
Earlier, taking note of increasing congestion at the market and violation of Covid-appropriate behaviour, the district administration had issued an order for closing of the export market (200 shops behind the main market) from July 18-20. Unhappy with the decision and failing to get relief despite rounds of meeting with the officials for two days, traders of the entire Sarojini Nagar even kept their shops closed for a day.