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'Worse than pulling down mosques, temples': Reports of Daryaganj book bazaar shutting down shock book lovers

"No, don't let this happen" seems to the common reaction of all book lovers in Delhi

The Daryaganj Sunday book market has been a haven for book lovers- young and old for decades. It is also a treasure trove for students, who can’t afford expensive reference books. For those with an eye for rare things, this is a pilgrimage spot. Hard-to-find books, magazines and journals can be bought here at throwaway price.

However, all this could be a thing of the past if news reports are to be believed. A national daily on January 13 reported that it’s very likely that weekly book bazaar would be shut. According to the report, book sellers haven’t been allowed to set up their shops for the last two weeks. This has resulted in uncertainty about their future.

The authorities have reportedly told the booksellers that it’s a temporary decision owing to the ongoing beautification drive in the run up to the three-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit to be held in Delhi, starting January 24. However, vendors fear that not all of them will be allowed to set shop after the work is over.

Hindustan Times quoted  Ruchika Katyal, deputy commissioner, City-Sadar Paharganj Zone of North Municipal Corporation as saying:

“Residents and traders have been complaining about illegal occupation on footpaths. Their main concern was that the hawkers also take over portions of roads, which creates hindrance in traffic and pedestrian movement. Several illegal vendors had come up in the recent years.”

The report has left many book lovers in Delhi disheartened. Many took to Twitter to express their concern and even appealed to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to intervene.

 

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