Tanahun, October 22:

Main markets in Tanahun used to wear a deserted look till last week. But with Dashain festival, the markets have witnessed an increase in the numbers of consumers dramatically. However, the businessmen are not satisfied, as according to them, the crowd failed to increase the business volume.

It is probably because the markets have extended and unlike previous years, people do not need to visit these traditional bazars. “Transport facilities played a major role in pushing the business volume down,” said Buddhi Kumar Shrestha, proprietor of Sriram Bastralaya at Damauli adding that the markets considered traditionally as business centres do not attract people anymore.

“The activities have picked up but the business volume didnot increase,” he said. “Sales have come down by almost 75 per cent,” he added.

Ramesh Ghimire, owner of Pushpanjali grocery agreed with him. He said the increased activities in the market did not bring more business. “However, one can see people crowded in fancy shops, spicy shops and beaten rice mills, everywhere,” Sunil Sharma, owner of Manakamana grocery said adding that he hardly sold 15-20 kg of cumin seed in a day.

Bam Bahadur Gharti of Ghansikuwa VDC — 6 Ramthunki said that prices of spices have gone up this year.

“There is no more traditional market after market expansion,” said Om Raj Shrestha, owner of the Om Shopping Centre.

On top of that consumers complain that they were cheated as the prices were not same. “There is no uniformity in market prices and differs from place to place,” they complained.

“Volume of business was also not encouraging in Tanahun’s Dumure, Anbukhareni, Khaisetar, Dulegauda, Bandipur, Turture, Sisaghat,” the traders said.

Earlier, Dashain used to be the time when these traders used to do huge business. The customers also used to visit these traditional bazars during Dashain festivals for hopping. “But with the transport facilities increasing, the customers go to Kathmandu for shopping as it is no more a far away,” Shrestha said.