MANGALURU: A council meeting of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) on Wednesday approved the demolition of the 50-year-old Central Market building. An agenda in this regard was approved at a meeting chaired by deputy mayor Janaki aka Vedavathi.
The vegetable and fish market building situated in the heart of the city will be demolished, since it is in a dilapidated condition. The Mangaluru Smart City Limited has a proposal to develop a new market complex at the location, under the PPP model, at a cost of Rs 145 crore.
MCC council ruling party chief whip Premanand Shetty said the market building cannot be repaired and hence a decision was taken to demolish it. Constructing a new market complex with all modern facilities, will not only provide infrastructure for traders and the public, but will also help the MCC to mobilise resources. Notices have already been served to the traders, who are carrying out business in the building with valid licences, he said.
MCC commissioner Akshy Sridhar said an outside agency was asked to conduct a study to check the condition of the building. The third-party agency, in its report, has stated that the building should be demolished. “There are 31 lawful traders who have a trade licence in their name and are carrying out business inside the Central Market,” said the commissioner.
Opposition leader Abdul Ravoof from the Congress said that there were over 470 traders who were carrying out business in the market complex before they were shifted to the APMC yard in Baikampady.
“There are more than 3,000 people, who are dependent directly or indirectly, on the Central Market for their livelihood. The city corporation should also consider rehabilitating all those who are dependent on the Central Market for their livelihood,” he added.