Mysore/Mysuru: The merchants at Devaraja Market in the city are facing considerable distress due to the ongoing issue of roaming cattle, particularly during the night.

The expansive market, which transforms into a haven for these cattle after dark, poses a significant challenge for shopkeepers. Fruits and vegetables, stored by merchants and covered with tarpaulin and secured with ropes after a day of trading, are readily accessed by the roaming cattle. This not only results in a loss for the merchants but also reflects the absence of those responsible for preventing such incidents.

After a full day of trading, merchants take precautions to protect unsold produce by covering it with tarpaulin and securing it with ropes. However, the roaming cattle, gaining entry during the night, manage to untie the ropes and consume the fruits and vegetables, leaving the merchants feeling helpless and despondent.

Devaraja Market has six entry points, each equipped with iron rods intended to deter cattle entry. Regrettably, these iron rods are torn apart, providing easy access for roaming cattle during the night. The escalating menace of cattle and street dogs at night results in substantial financial losses for hundreds of merchants.

Additionally, the merchants express concerns about the menace posed by miscreants during night time. Previously, the cattle entering the market at night were sent to Pinjarapole the next day, but this practice has ceased without any apparent concern.

Despite the market spanning 3.5 acres and hosting over 820 shops, security is minimal, with only two elderly security personnel on duty. While one works during the day, the other is assigned the night shift. Merchants contend that the current security arrangement is inadequate, leaving the market vulnerable to various challenges.

Specifically, issues such as broken iron rods near the flower stalls’ entry gate and the absence of a gate at the Irwin Road entry point have exacerbated the problem. Fruit vendors claim to have appealed to Corporation officials multiple times for corrective actions, but their pleas have gone unanswered, with no response even to minor issues.