Following hectic schedules of assembly elections lull, the traders at Agartala city’s traditional shopping market areas are in the process of huge business in the traditional “Chaitra Sale”.

The run-up to Poila Baisakh has traditionally been a peak season for city shopkeepers in the grand sale, as the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) this year has given free land to the 538 small traders in the Sakuntala Road and its adjoining areas of Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan.

Large number of traders with different items of clothing, house-hold accessories, food items and other fashionable accessories set their make-shift stalls in the crowded shopping area of the city, which is now gaining momentum with a huge crowd.

On Sunday, AMC Major Dipak Majumder, deputy mayor Manika Das Datta along with local part workers and AMC officials visited the ‘Chaitra Sale’ areas in Sakuntala road and had interacted with the traders to enquiry their business and facilities ensured by the AMC.

Later, speaking with media persons, Mayor Dipak Majumder said that small traders are very happy with facilities given by them and cooperation from the AMC. He said that large numbers of customers from different parts of the state are gathering in the Chaitra Sale areas, which has increased the volume business at its manifold compared to previous years.

Majumder said that the big traders behind the footpath stalls of Chaitra Sale are also cooperating with the small traders and the AMC personnel are continuously monitoring the situation around the Chaitra sale areas.

He said that AMC is now contemplating a plan to set up a specific spot for yearly ‘Chaitra Sale’ in the city for next year's sale and hoped that it will ease the traffic congestion around the city.

He also said that AMC in association with police administration will take strong action if there are any reports of extortion by miscreants from small traders.

While, there has been a steady rise in customers since April 1st and by God’s grace, sales have been good, said a trader and added that they are seeing some profits.

In the afternoon, when the city temperature was hovering at 37 degrees Celsius, the Sakuntala road was buzzing with shoppers and traders were very happy seeing the rush of shoppers just before the Poila Boishak. Similar sales have been seen at Orient Chowmuhani and Rabindra Bhavan areas as well, where traders said that good sales are recorded daily, which bring smiles on their faces.