The landmark Moazzam Jahi Market created as part of city decongestion project to fight plagues and epidemics in the 20th century has got a new lease of life during the 60-day lockdown period. “This is the final part of the work. We will finish it in two months,” says Shrinivas Sulge of Laxmi Hericon which is executing the work on the monument.
Work is going on at a frenetic pace on almost all parts of the complex. If some workers are giving a finishing touch to the tiling near the high-mast where the tricolour flutters through day and night, it is at the rear of the building that most of the work is happening now.
“It is taking time as we are going to create much better facilities, better hygiene, access control and water supply,” says Mr. Sulge as workers cart building rubble from ceiling, flooring as well as other structures built by shop tenants (the monthly rent averages ₹900). The building is virtually being reconstructed from inside as both the ceiling and flooring suffered most of the damage due to years of neglect.
Water has been the main challenge for the conservation project as the ceiling built with jack arch technology with iron beams had become weak due to rusting. Most of the shops had water leakage problem with some tenants rebuilding using available materials. “Now there is no water stagnation. Earlier even sewage from the surrounding areas would flow here and stagnate; not any more. But this seems to be a never-ending project,” complains Sohail, who runs a fruit shop on the western side of the building. Conservation work began on April 17, 2018.
“We were evicted two weeks ago. All our tools were kept out as they started work,” says Rakesh who had a meat shop inside the complex. The meat shop is his inheritance from his great grandfather Mohan Lal. “If the shop stays shut for three months, what are we going to do? Our customers will not come back if the habit is broken,” says Rakesh who rues the impact of the lockdown.
At night, lit up during festivals and other celebratory occasions, the building looks like an oriental marketplace with the magical touch of the chimes of the clock. But magic gets marred by the orange and blue plastic sheets used by shop owners to keep the sun and rain out of their shops. A few months ago, a flock of pigeons that used to be fed in the courtyard was caught and shifted to a different location. But another flock has made a reappearance as the shop owners feed them and supply water.