Old stall owners demand justice at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount

In a growing dispute surrounding stall allocations at the prestigious Bandra Fair, around 80 to 100 longstanding stall owners have been protesting since August 11. The sudden hike in stall rates to Rs 3000 per sq. ft. caused an uproar, but a subsequent revision on August 23 lowered it to Rs 550 per sq ft (taxes extra).
Despite their pleas for allocations based on 2019 stall receipts, fearing that the new allotment methods will severely limit their chances of securing stalls at the upcoming Bandra Fair, the old stall owners have found their requests repeatedly overlooked by Vice Rector, Fr. Sunder Albuquerque. Gathering daily outside the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount office from 7 am to 5 pm, these vendors are facing challenges as newer allotment methods come into play.
On August 26, a pivotal Lucky Dip drawing took place, leaving 135 old stall owners from the Mount Mary Steps Stall Welfare Association disillusioned as their cries for fairness remained unheard. This new allotment approach has ignited unrest and a sense of betrayal among these old stall owners.
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