Mount Mary Church fair stalls to go to highest bidders
The weeklong Mount Mary Fair, popularly known as Bandra Fair, which attracts lakhs of devotees, pilgrims and visitors alike, is set to begin from September second week, September 10 to be exact.
As the annual fair, the biggest Christian community festival in the city, is about to start, the civic body is also gearing up to organise it in a grand way and make some profits too.
Since many visit the fair every year, shopkeepers and vendors wanted to set up their stalls in the vicinity of Mount Mary Church, Bandra, so that they can sell their religious wares. The vendors are also willing to pay more for their stalls if they can be set up closer to the church.
Hence, BMC decided that the stalls will be given away after an auction for a period of 10 days. A senior civic officer from Bandra Ward (H West) License Department said stall numbers 1 to 20 will go the highest bidders respectively. Last year, stall number one was auctioned at Rs. 4.5 lakh and the minimum bid was Rs. 60,500. BMC also issues pitch numbers for the stalls to vendors.
“There are 430 pitches for 280 stalls at Mount Mary Church, Kane Road, for which they (vendors) can apply with white colour forms. At Baptist Road, 100 stalls will be set up and to apply, vendors need to apply in yellow colour forms. In Rebello Road, a total of 50 stalls would be set up for which BMC will issue blue colour forms and at Mount Mary Church road, 20 stalls would be set up for which pink colour forms are issued and they would be auctioned off to the highest bidders. The auction process is completely transparent. The bidders come on given dates and in front of them, the secret box is opened and the highest bidders are given the stalls,” the civic officer said.
To ensure safety and security for the huge crowd, civic officials along with policemen will keep a close vigil. For convenience of citizens and to keep the streets and station premises encroachment-free, additional manpower from adjoining BMC wards has been sought.
“Like previous years, BMC has invited suggestions and objections from citizens for drafting a policy. The policy is usually drafted on how to handle the situation, unclog the streets which are usually occupied by hawkers and also to manage the traffic of the adjoining roads,” another BMC officer said.
Activist Godfrey Pimenta, who is also a Christian community member, said, “The Bandra Fair is set to begin in a week’s time but the ageold cement road leading to the church is in shoddy state and needs immediate repairing. The road is also partly encroached by huts.”
He further claimed that at various places the road is broken and at some places debris have been dumped which needs to be cleared. Adequate streetlights are required Pimenta said adding that suggestions have been given and BMC has to fulfil these basic necessities.