Mumbai: Mount Mary Fair vendors protest 10 pm closure, say late-evening crowds drive business

Devotees at Bandra Fair on September 13. Pics/Shadab Khan

Stall operators at the Mount Mary Fair in Bandra say police are asking them to shut by around 9.30-10 pm, cutting into the late-evening business they say is crucial during the eight-day festival. Several vendors said they are paying between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh for short-term stall spaces and lose out when visitors arriving after office hours find the fair winding down.

"Even the visitors turn away disappointed with such an early wrap-up time. Most other fairs we set up business at have a late wrap-up time till midnight," several vendors said. However, the police and BMC maintain that the 10 pm closure is appropriate. Bandra Senior Police Inspector Ravindra Salunkhe said police were enforcing closure once the church shuts.

A candle-seller hawks his wares to devotees visiting the Mount Mary church. PIC/sayyed Sameer Abedi

Why vendors are unhappy

Peak hours: Vendors say crowds build up later in the evening, after people finish visiting the church

High rents: Some operators said they paid R55,000 for 9 sq ft space, while others cited rents of up to R1 lakh

Lost customers: Vendors said visitors who arrive after 10 pm are unable to shop and leave disappointed

Comparison with other fairs: Operators said they work at other city fairs where stalls remain open later

Pimenta flags early closure

Advocate Godfrey Pimenta, activist and trustee of the Watchdog Foundation, has written to the Mumbai Police commissioner and chief minister opposing what he described as an early closure.

Devotees look are rosaries on sale near Mount Mary church

"The manner in which the stalls are being compelled to close substantially before the traditionally permitted/announced closing time has caused serious inconvenience to devotees, pilgrims, visitors, local residents and stallholders."

Stall operators speak

Md Danish, 18
"Police are telling us to close the stalls at max by 10 pm; earlier this was not the case. They should reconsider this closing time."

Md Irfan, 45
"Yesterday (Monday) police closed our shops at 10 pm. We saw people were still roaming near Bandstand, but they couldn't visit the fair or buy from us. Despite this fair's rent costing us more, the restrictions are unlike any other fair we frequent."

Shankar Chauhan, 24
"I paid R55,000 rent for eight days; these are sublet spots. I feel the crowd peaks around the late hours, and latecomers could enjoy the fair, and we could really use some more returns on our rent."

Dashrath Chauhan, 33
"I have been setting up a stall here for five years now; every year the rent increases and the time limit decreases. Rent has gone up from R40k to R55k now for these 9 sq ft spots, but police close the fair around 9.45 pm. The key two hours when the crowd peaks, the fair is shut - what's the point?"

Ajay Kumar Baniya, 46
"We have been setting up our stall here for 30 years now. This is our third day here this year; the police close the fair by 9.30-10 pm. Visitors turn back disappointed; business is also hit. The restrictions are unparalleled despite paying the highest rents here. We operate in Mahalakshmi fair as well; there are no such restrictions there."

Official view: 10 pm is enough

Karen D'Mello, municipal councillor, H West ward
"To prevent inconveniences that the residents of the area face in late hours of the day, the police and the BMC are taking appropriate action by enforcing the 10 pm deadline. I support this."

Official Speak

A BMC official said, "The current 10 pm closing time is appropriate. Stalls are allowed to operate for the entire day; police start enforcing the closure only around the time that the church also closes. Concerns about returns are misplaced now because they themselves bid for most of these stalls, excluding the Mount Mary ones (they are fixed-price exclusively for locals)."

Ravindra Salunkhe, senior police inspector, Bandra police station said, "We are only enforcing closure of the fair once the church closes. Police action is according to applicable rules."

Residents: Let them stay later - but not everyone agrees

Christopher CoElho, 27
"I have grown up seeing the fair and participating in it. It used to go on till midnight. For many years now, things wrap up earlier. But it would be nice for, say, after-office late visitors to experience the fair, so the authorities should at least revisit the closing time. It's just eight days once a year. Even the residents won't mind, I think."

Philomena James Gomes, 48
"I have been a resident of the area for three decades now. I have experienced the fair throughout these years. The fair used to run till 12 am earlier; over the years the closing time dipped to 11 pm and then 10 pm. I think the current timings are okay for the first six days, because anyway the authorities are kind enough to allow the fair to stretch till midnight on the last two days. Everyone enjoys it then."