Trade Fair turns into crowded, cacophonous bazaar
Nov 21, 2006 - 2:37:51 PM
, Reviewed by: Priya Saxena
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Some participants were also of the view that this trade fair being an annual affair concerning business should be given to private event management companies.
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By Indo Asian News Service,
[RxPG] New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) The India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2006, one of Asia's largest trade expos, turned out to be an absolute cacophonous affair on a busy weekday morning with tens of thousands roaming around clueless and no one to guide them.
With no proper shuttle service, but decked up bus-stops, people walked down the huge alleys from the entry points to the main pavilions where the fair is on.
And adding to the plight of the visitors were the helpless guards themselves not aware where is what.
'I am 65 years old, I have come here with my wife who has breathing problems. We have not visited the fair for many years so we thought of coming down just to enjoy. But now I see I was wrong,' said a weary Prakashchand Dagar, a businessman.
'These fairs are only meant from college goers, not for we elders,' Dagar told IANS.
The colossal crowds that comprised mainly college students, newlyweds and women found the place 'entertaining and good for freaking out and taking a break from the daily chores'.
However, unlike the preceding years, this year to the surprise of many, one could fortunately find a person sitting inside the information booths who in a robotic manner is only capable of directing you where the halls are.
Ask them anything else and pat comes the reply, 'We don't know, ask ITPO (Indian Trade Promotion Organisation).'
Ritu Arya, a doctor in eastern Delhi, said: 'I come here every year with my husband but I think this is my last year, things are deteriorating. I don't know who are the organisers here, but I would definitely write to them a very strong letter.'
Not only the visitors, the exhibitors were also unhappy with the arrangements.
'There is no proper arrangement for toilets here. We are walking down an entire hall to reach the nearest toilet allocated for us. Ladies are facing tremendous problems for this inconvenience,' said an indignant Mazhar-ul-Haq Mufti, assistant secretary, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI).
Mufti has also decided to send a complaint to the ITPO, the main organisers of the fair.
People from far-off places like Meerut, Sohna, Hardwar have also turned up to experience shopping in trade fair.
Gitanjali Kashyap, a resident of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, busy buying detergent packets and Chinese buckets, told IANS: 'Every year I buy detergents, pickles, buckets, juices from here because it's nice shopping here.'
In the Reebok stall the sales boys were forced to stand on high stools to cater to the gigantic hordes of buyers queuing up in front of the stall to buy a Reebok T-shirt or shoes. That there was no discount on the shoes seemed to make little difference.
The food stalls were stinking with no one to clean them. People were forced to sit on the grounds with the plastic food plates, ready to break any moment.
Vendors selling drinking water bottles were charging anywhere between Rs.12-25 'depending upon the crowd'.
Some participants were also of the view that this trade fair being an annual affair concerning business should be given to private event management companies.
Are ITPO officials listening?
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