Design overhaul on the cards for Kallikudi market to attract traders

CONSIDERING the traders' representation on the recently inaugurated vegetable market near Kallikudi, District administrtion has sent a proposal to the State government seeking to renovate the complex. However, the traders have expressed their disinterest to relocate to the new complex, as the facility does not meet their requirements. The century-old Gandhi Market is the place for traders, both wholesalers and retailers. Being
easily accessible, the place has become more popular and crowd-ed over the years. With make shift shops and plat form vendors lining the area and numerousve-hides to load and unload the produces, the place is too congested of late. The need to construct an integrated vegetable market arose as the locality became more populous and the motorists were in for trouble in this area on any day The project was implemented with Rs 65 crores on an area of about 9.75 acres, along Tiruchy -
Madurai National Highway, at Kallikudi, and is said to accommodate a 1,000 traders, with sin-gle shops of 10x10 ft area allotted for each. The new complex has been established so as to reduce the traffic jam near Gandhi Market and is situated 12 km away from Central Bus Stand and 15 km from Gandhi market. It was officially inaugurated through live video conferencing by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami, on September 5. After the inauguration, the complex has been left idle for the
past two months.

 The main rea-son the wholesale traders point out is that the space is not adequate for their requirement. N Saravanan, secretary Tiruchirapalli Potato and Onion Commission Mandi Wholesale Merchant Association, said, "There are about 250 to 300 wholesalers in Gandhi Market outside its prem-ises. Each trader needs at least 400 to 600 sq ft which cannot be met in the new complex." The recent announcement by the District Collector K Rajamani said that a proposal has been sent
to the Government and the work on renovating the shops will start after official confirmation. The proposal said that each two shops of the 500 rooms on the ground floor be combined (two shops combined to form one big shop) to make room as per the traders' requirements. That way, each shop would be of 10 x 20 ft size, which is dose to 700 sqft.

A waste management unit is also planned in the premises at an area of three acres, to segregate bio waste generated at the market area.Reacting to this, Saravanan said that it is not fruitful move announcement for the traders for the 700 sqft mentioned cannot be completely utilized as the trans-port loading and unloading facility cannot be done properly. The new complex is cannot accommo-date all the wholesalers and retailers in the same premises, he added. All the 26 associations in Gan-dhi Market are now looking forward to a 20-acre land to construct a complex for all traders, meeting their requirements
Source: epaper . newindianexpress. com//c/23161337