Jaipur: Traders on New Sanganer Road have skipped Diwali decorations this year amid fears of an impending demolition drive by Jaipur Development Authority (JDA), leaving the 3.5km stretch from Ajmer Road to Gurjar Ki Thadi unusually dark and subdued.Acting on a high court directive to remove encroachments and widen the road to 100 feet, JDA has marked around 260 structures, including five religious places, for demolition. Traders have approached the court but are yet to get relief.New Sanganer Traders’ Association has decided against festive decorations, with uncertainty over their businesses and properties overshadowing the festival. Shops remained open on Sunday, but several had bare counters and cartons packed for shifting.“I have lived in Sodala with my in-laws for 23 years after marriage. I have never seen New Sanganer Road so dark and deserted before Diwali,” said Sunita Yadav (48), a schoolteacher.For some families, this could be their last Diwali in their ancestral homes. Archana Balodiya runs a garment shop in a building where her husband, a doctor, operates a clinic. She said the entire property has been marked for demolition.Her family had surrendered 10 feet during the 2001 Pink Operation for road widening. “Those who were losing only a portion have already demolished the marked parts. We have shifted most of our belongings to rented accommodation. We never imagined we would have to leave our ancestral house despite having all papers and paying civic taxes on time,” she said.Though JDA has not announced the demolition date, enforcement sources said the drive may begin a day or two before the next high court hearing on Nov 16.For traders, the usual Diwali bustle has given way to anxiety over losing their shops and homes.
