Daryaganj’s Sunday book market opens after 5 weeks
NEWDELHI: The weekly book market at Daryaganj opened on Sunday, after a gap of five weeks, attracting booklovers in large numbers.
For now, however, t he municipal authorities have not allowed 51 “unauthorised” vendors to put up their stalls.
The North Delhi Municipal Corporation had prohibited vendors from selling books at the weekly market spread along the payments for five Sundays, beginning December 31 last year, citing a beautification drive ahead of the three-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Republic Day celebrations.
On Sunday morning, as soon as the vendors started putting up their stalls, it was business as usual in the market as customers were seen sifting through a bunch of all kinds of books and journals. The market offers classics and contemporary in fiction, non-fiction, encyclopaedias, old magazines, dictionaries, competitive exam handbooks and journals at throwaway prices.
“I was surprised to see the market closed last Sunday. I am glad, it opened today,” said Gaurav Dixit, a postgraduation student from South Delhi who picked “I do What I Do”, by former RBI Governor, Raghuram Rajan for Rs 150.
“This is what is special about this market. You can get the best books for unbelievable prices,” said Kavita Singh, a private company employee, after she purchased “The Palace of Illusions” by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni for Rs 100.
Since 1964, when it started, the market, extending from the pavement on Golcha Cinema on Netaji Subhash Marg on one side to Delite Cinema on the Asaf Ali Road in Daryaganj, has been one of the major attractions for booklovers in the city .
“Finally, the authorities allowed us to put up stalls,” said Qamar Sayeed, president, Sunday Books Bazaar Welfare Asso- ciation.
But not all vendors have been allowed, he said.
“There are 271 members registered with the market. The municipal authorities did not allow 51 stalls who would put up stalls beyond Golcha cinema towards Jama Masjid. We are trying to submit proofs and we hope they would be included too,” he said.
Among those who could not put up the stall on Sunday was Kuldeep Singh.
“We do not know any other trade. Selling books is the only thing we do to make a living,” he said.
Days ahead of ASEAN summit and Republic Day, the municipal corporation carried out an anti-encroachment drive in and around Chandni Chowk and Jama Masjid area. Local traders and residents had welcomed the drive, saying it would help remove congestion in the area.
“Over the years, many stalls selling things other than books had come up on the other side of the road leading to traffic snarls. We have allowed only authorised vendors, who could provide proofs, to put up their stalls,” said a municipal corporation official.