Dehradun: Under the Dehradun Smart City project, the authorities have passed orders to paint the shops in the Paltan Bazar in saffron colour. With the Smart City project already marred in controversy, this decision has added to the stir. Congress in a fresh attack alleged that the BJP is plotting to saffronize the markets.
"The residents are troubled by potholes on the roads, but the BJP government is focused on saffronizing markets on the pretext of a scheme," said a Congress supporter, opposing the decision and questioning the decisions of the authorities.
The saffron colour has been associated for long with the BJP party. However, the BJP has denied such plans and claims that the colour was decided unanimously in the presence of traders and officials. The new colour scheme aims at painting the nameplates and canopies of the shops in saffron colour.
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Meanwhile, Urban Development Minister Premchand Aggarwal, who has so far reprimanded the officials and expressed displeasure over the slow pace of the smart city project, was found unaware of the colour to be applied on the sheds and nameplates of the shops here.
The decision on the colour was reached in a recent meeting where it was decided 'unanimously' to paint the shops in saffron colour with the names of the traders in white colour.
