DEEPAVALI bazaar traders in Kuala Lumpur will enjoy an 85% reduction in the fee for trading lots this year.
The fee charged by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is now RM400 compared to last year’s RM2,626.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh said the reduced rate aimed to lower traders’ costs, which would subsequently benefit consumers.
“We are also allowing the traders to operate for 30 days this year, an increase from the 21 days last year,” she said in a press conference at Menara Seri Wilayah in Putrajaya yesterday.
Also present were Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud and Federal Territories Department director-general Datuk Muhammad Azmi Mohd Zain.
Fadlun said the Deepavali bazaar from Oct 9 to Nov 7, will operate from 10am to midnight, at two locations, offering 172 lots.
“The locations are the parking space at Kompleks Tun Sambanthan in Brickfields, which will adopt the mega bazaar concept with 122 lots as well as at Jalan Bunus 6 in Masjid India with 50 lots.
“Additionally, 30 entertainment and promotion licences will also be offered to business premises in Jalan Tun Sambanthan.”
Four associations have been identified to manage the bazaars, added Fadlun.
“The associations are Pertubuhan Kebajikan Peniaga dan Penjaja Kecil Interaksi Kuala Lumpur & Selangor, Persatuan Prihatin Peniaga Little India Brickfields, Persatuan Penjaja-Penjaja Medan Selera Pines Bazaar Brickfields and Malaysia Hindu Sangam Wilayah Persekutuan.
“Balloting for the lots will be conducted on Sept 22 and 23.”
Fadlun said strict traffic controls would be implemented at the sites throughout the bazaar’s operation with traffic wardens deployed to monitor traffic flow.
On a separate matter, Fadlun attributed the flash floods that hit several areas in Ampang and Kuala Lumpur on Sept 20 to extraordinary rainfall.
“There was a five-fold increase over the usual amount of about 30mm.
“This caused water levels at the Ampang and Lembah Keramat reservoirs to rise sharply in a short period.”
