Now, one of the most densely populated areas, there was a time when Field Ganj used to be the pulse of the city.

Though it still attracts hordes of shoppers as it sells goods at affordable prices, the marketplace has undoubtedly lost its sheen. Long before the mall culture had arrived, shopaholics had already left the souk in search of newer and wider markets.

A mini town in the pre-independence era, the area used to provide everything under the sun, from spices to clothes and books.

Developed by the British, it used to house a madarsa (an educational institute of Muslims).

The place got its name from Wakefield locality, which is the main settlement of the City of Wakefield metropolitan district in West Yorkshire, England. An old and crumbling gate still stands testimony to the era gone by.

Vikram Thamman, a resident of the area says the market was a prominent one in the pre-independence India. “As the Grand Trunk Road used to pass through the area, it used to be the commercial hub of the city,” Thamman said. Later, the Grand Trunk Road was relocated and the area lost its gleam.

Thamman further says, “Even today, the market is bursting at its seams as shoppers from economically weaker sections swarm the place to buy everyday stuff.”

With ever increasing population, the area is still teeming with millions. Encroachments have further added to commuters’ woes.