Central AC among New Mkt revamp plans: Mayor

Kolkata: KMC may finally complete the centrally air-conditioned system that had been partially installed at the new New Market complex several decades ago.
Though ducts have been installed in this section of the market that was constructed after a devastating fire burnt down a portion of the old SS Hogg Market in 1985, a chiller was never installed, thereby leaving the AC system ineffective. With summers becoming increasingly unbearable, traders have been urging KMC to make the complex air-conditioned so that customers and shopkeepers can breathe easy.
Mayor Firhad Hakim on Monday hinted at the civic body looking at the proposal as part of the revamp planned for the New Market that turned 150 last year. The Grade-I heritage building will undergo restoration as suggested by a team of architects from Jadavpur University, the mayor said at the Assembly on Monday.
"We have allocated nearly Rs 26.1 crore for the redevelopment of the New Market. Jadavpur University was given the task of suggesting ways for restoration for the structure. The restoration work will be carried out according to the plan submitted by the JU experts. Shopkeepers will continue to stay there till the work starts. We have already beautified the area outside New Market. The interior of the market will be upgraded as well," Hakim said in response to a question raised by Kandi MLA Apurba Sarkar.
SS Hogg Market Traders Association president Ashok Gupta welcomed the mayor's announcement. He also hoped the civic body would clear the AC applications from individual shops that have been pending for over two years. The revamp proposal was cleared jointly by KMC and the West Bengal Heritage Commission over a year ago.
Restoration architects and structural engineers said the market would undergo structural restoration through a preservation engineering approach, a new area in engineering for the sustainability of architectural assets. This involves not only strengthening the market's roof, walls, and pillars but also taking care of its long-term durability to preserve its historical value for future generations.