A meeting of traders operating inside the Goubert Market was convened on Monday to discuss the problems faced by vendors.
Leader of the legislative wing of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam R. Siva, who convened the meeting, said he was forced to convene a meeting of traders and officials from the Puducherry Municipality after he did not find any favourable response from the government to address grievances of traders.
The traders have been complaining for long about lack of basic amenities inside the market. The 12 toilets in the market had to cater to around 4,000 vendors. Overflowing drainage had become a perennial problem inside the market. There were no pavements. The streetlights are not functioning for several months, he added.
The government had been trying to deflect the issue stating that once the Smart City project takes off, the market would get a facelift, he said.
Mr. Siva said he had requested the civic authorities not to wait for the Smart City project to take up market improvement work as it involves meagre amount.
The municipality had promised to complete the work in the next two months, he added.
Commissioner of Puducherry Municipality S. Ganesan was present.