Madurai all set to get its first ‘Smart Market’

In one month’s time, Madurai’s first ‘Smart Market’ will be complete, according to Corporation Commissioner S. Aneesh Sekhar.

Speaking to The Hindu on Thursday, he said that work orders had been issued and progress fast tracked to ensure completion soon. The Smart Fruit Market, which is located adjacent to the Central Vegetable Market in Mattuthavani, will have 241 shops.

‘Work has been completed in 25 shops. Each shop will be provided with a fan and a tubelight. The market will have street lights with LED bulbs, compound wall, underground drainage system, storm water drains and water supply lines with sumps and over head tanks. The estimated cost of the project is around ₹12 crore.

Being a ‘Smart Market,’ the electrical lines will have underground cable ducts. Each shop will have UGD lines to ensure that they have individual toilets.

The UGD lines will be connected to the main K. K. Nagar pumping station in 25 days time, says the contractor. End-to-end cement roads will be laid as soon as the drinking water supply and UGD lines are completed. The roads have been built to ensure that they will be free of pot holes despite the entry of heavy vehicles.

A parking lot, where 50 trucks can be parked, is also being constructed, says the Executive Engineer working on the project. A total of four borewells have been sunk to provide 40,000 litres of water each day.

The 241 shops are divided into three categories -- 744 square feet, 742 square feet and 846 square feet with a rent of ₹27.55 per square foot. Vendors must confer with the Commissioner and allocate shops through their associations.

Vendors, however, point to many problems. K. Alagesh, district secretary, Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sanga Peravai, alleges that many vendors seek allocation of shops for their kith and kin, thus making the process unfair.

He also says that there are 350 fruit shop owners in Simmakkal but at the ‘Smart Market’ there are only 241 shops. “How will all the shop owners do business if there is no space,” he asks.

A senior official of the Revenue department of the local body says that the decision on the number of shops was based on data collected by Corporation officials and on the space available. “Many associations have sought allocation of shops for street vendors too and inflated the number to 350. Proper space will be allocated for all,” he says.

“This is the first Smart Cities Mission project in Madurai. All efforts are being made to ensure that world class facilities are provided. Traders will no longer have to go to Yanaikkal for their daily business. It will help in de-congesting the Yanaikkal area,” says the Commissioner.