Star India Bazaar, a TATA Product, another super or hypermarket

The Puri Rath Yatra Stampede could have been re-enacted at a plush new hypermarket in Mumbai on Sunday, July 6.

The Star Bazaar hypermarket near Indian Oil, Andheri, carelessly allowed hordes of customers inside its limited ground floor space. The minimum waiting period for paying the bill was thirty minutes. The exit doors were two narrow spaces that were insufficient to let the people out in case of any emergency.

Let’s add to this some rude managers and an illegal Coffee Day outlet.

I asked a floor manager about the security of the people should there be an emergency or a stampede.”There will be no problem, nothing.”

I reminded him of the inconvenienced customers in the queue to which he replied, “I am having no problem managing them.”

I managed to shoot a video of the crowd in the market until I was stopped by the same manager. Later, some women gave the manager a hearing for the state of affairs which the manager blamed on the excitement of a new hypermarket.

The Coffee Day outlet near the entrance of the market did not bill its sales.

“I am sorry Sir, no bill available”, said the salesman.

The manager seemed unconcerned about the outlet’s illegal transactions.

“It is the franchisees’ headache not ours sir.”

But you are allowing the franchisee to sell their products in the market space.

“Only on Saturday and Sunday sir.”

So you have let this sale happen on Saturday and Sunday without a billing system.

“Yes Sir. From Monday onwards this will not happen.”

So you are pocketing a part of the money this outlet earns; none of which will go to the government.

The manager evaded the question.

Another customer remarked about the profits the franchisee and Star Bazaar are earning in this illegal transaction. However, he bought his coffee and left without registering any complaint.

The starry saga does not stop here.

An irate driver complained about the parking system. He wanted to park his car outside the market’s premises but the security guard asked him to park in the market’s parking space. He was later charged Rs. 15 for parking his vehicle.

“It’s a money making scheme. They have no rights to stop people from parking outside. They should announce the parking charges while ushering the vehicles inside.”

At around 8 P.M, the ‘hyper’ market stopped people from entering the premises. “Stop that rascal”, a manager shouted at the security guard who asked a casually dressed young man to leave immediately.

The nouveau middle class too had a competitive time shoving and pushing their way around the hypermarket. Their abuses and inconveniences were limited to their shopping experience. Contrast this with a young couple sitting quietly in one corner of the market.

“You want to go inside? It’s too crowded.”

“Who wants to spend money? Let’s just sit here. At peace.”