While city unlocks police bar entry of vehicles on Sitabuldi main road Post easing of curbs trading activity has boomed to all time high barring Sitabuldi market that is bearing the brunt of high handness of city administration. City police have barricaded the market entry point at Variety Square ostensibly to prevent ease of movement for the shoppers. While all other markets are witnessing heavy footfalls traders in Sitabuldi are singled out for special treatment for reasons known to officials. The police said the barricades are in place ever since curbs were tightened from first week of April to prevent crowding and there is nothing new about the matter. But at other places and particularly markets that are located in much narrower places the police action is hardly visible while in middle of city for no apparent reason the barricades create impediment in smooth movement of people. Going by logic proffered by city police then entire city would need to locked again as heavy crowds are thronging all the markets. Particularly one needs to visit any of the small by-lanes in wholesale market and the logic of crowding given for Sitabuldi would fall flat. The Sitabuldi main road provides ease of movement to and for to people moving in East to West and vice-versa. But in name of preventing crowding city police have barred entry of vehicle in Sitabuldi sounds quite strange. Residents in Sitabuldi area are also put to unnecessary inconvenience due to blockade of road. People now have to take a detour from Tekdi Road to reach their homes which otherwise were easily accessible from main road itself. From June 1 onwards as part of unlock measures the timing of shops have been extended till 2 pm. Similarly NMC also provided permission for opening of non-essential shops and every part of city is witnessing brisk trade barring Sitabuldi. Surpassingly hawkers are continuing to operate and were seen having laid out their wares on the main road albeit in connivance with administration as NMC has not yet provided permission for street vendors. Earlier in morning when Sitabuldi traders inquired with cops as to reason for barricading they pointed fingers at civic body. Civic officials however did not respond to calls from The Hitavada which tried to ascertain reason for continuing with blockade on bustling city road. NMC has to give public notice before banning movement of vehicles on any road in city. But in case of Sitabuldi no such rule was followed by administration giving rise to speculation about something cooking-up and banning entry of vehicles could be part of larger game plan that would be revealed sometimes later.

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