Photo: M.Srinath
TIRUCHI: The new fish market at Kasivilangai on the outskirts of Tiruchi was opened to the people without much fanfare on Wednesday.
Although no formal function marked the inauguration, senior officials of Tiruchi City Corporation and the traders, who were allotted shops, visited the market in the morning. A section of traders moved their equipment such as refrigerators, weigh machines, ice boxes and others from the Puthur fish market, which is to be demolished to pave the way for the construction of a shopping complex in a few days.
Corporation Commissioner S. Sivasubramanian told The Hindu that the new market had become operational since Wednesday. All traders, who had got permanent shops at the Puthur market, had been allotted shops at the Kasivilangai market. Some of them had begun trade. A few others were in the process of moving. Full fledged trading activities would begin in a day or two.
He said the new market constructed at an estimate of ₹3.32 crore had 9 shops for the wholesale traders and 24 shops for the retailers. All necessary infrastructure for loading and unloading fish consignments had been provided in the new market. The market has been constructed on 1.5 acre site.
Retail shops have been built on a 6,905 square feet area, the wholesale outlets occupy the remaining area. A restroom for traders and customers and parking lots for two wheelers and four wheelers are part of the market complex. Space has been earmarked for installation of an ATM kiosk.Mr. Sivasubramanian said that the market had been designed for serving the people for at least 25 years.
Meanwhile, another senior official, who held a meeting with the traders at Puthur fish market ahead of shifting, told them to move to the new market with immediate effect. All vendors should vacate the outlets as early as possible. If they continued to trade at the old market, action would be taken against them. Moreover, lorries carrying fish consignment would be allowed to unload the consignment only at the new market.