Bandra Fair Stall Closure Row: Vendors Allege Premature Police Action At Mount Mary Steps, Cops Deny Charges

A controversy has erupted over the early closure of market stalls at Mount Mary Steps during the annual Bandra Fair, with local groups and vendors claiming the shutdowns were "arbitrary and premature" and police actions were discriminatory. The Bandra police, however, dismissed the claims, stating stalls were supposed to close by 10pm as per rules.

Watchdog Foundation members Nicholas Almeida and Godfrey Pimenta lodged a complaint with police, alleging police were exercising arbitrary authority, compelling stallholders to close before traditional permitted times. They said the move inconvenienced devotees, pilgrims, visitors, locals and vendors. Irin Polly, a vendor, said stalls were forced to close as early as 9pm on the first two days of the eight-day fair.

"Last year we could keep the stalls open till 11.00pm," said Polly. Pimenta noted there had been no such police action in previous years. "Visitors come to the fair after work and these are temporary stalls with limited days," said Pimenta. According to Pimenta, police could only shut down such establishments after 10pm if noise pollution rules were violated.

"There is no noise pollution here. If police are closing stalls for other reasons like security, they should inform the public in writing," said Pimenta. Vendors have asked the police for clarification on the officially allowed closing time for stalls and establishments at Mount Mary Steps during the Bandra Fair. The police confirmed the stalls were not forced to close before the permitted time.

"This has been the case every year. Stalls shut down at 10.00pm. It was raining and there were few visitors. The stall owners were closing their stalls on their own," said a police official. The Bandra Fair, a centuries-old event honoring Our Lady of the Mount, traces its origins to 1570 when the Jesuits brought a wooden statue from Portugal and installed it at the shrine.

The present Basilica was constructed in 1904 and is a key religious landmark in Mumbai. Malad Mandal unveiled a 9.5-foot eco-friendly Ganesha idol this year made from sea shells, paper and cardboard. The Watchdog Foundation claims the premature closure disrupted a long-standing tradition, causing financial losses for stallholders who had invested heavily in their stalls. It has demanded an inquiry into the circumstances of the alleged early closure.