Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Tuesday inaugurated a modernised Corporation wholesale fish market and a bridge across Noyyal here through video conference from Chennai.
According to a press release, the Corporation was earlier operating a wholesale fish market spread across 1.71 acres at Ukkadam.
However, the market lacked adequate facilities and posed difficulties to the public and the retail sellers. Following this, the Corporation drew up plans to modernise the facility at a cost of Rs. 3.24 crore.
The National Fisheries Development Board allotted Rs.2.25 crore through the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation with the Coimbatore Corporation contributing the remaining Rs. 99 lakh.
Now, the modernised fish market can accommodate 47 wholesale sellers and 2,000 retail sellers. It was spread across 22,200 sq.ft.
It was also paved with concrete roads and had an ATM centre besides a canteen, vehicle parking lots, toilets, a place for processing the fish, drainage, light poles and borewell.
It was expected to benefit more than one lakh persons who can now purchase fish in hygienic conditions.
The State Government had also allocated Rs.15 crore to widen the bypass road of 9.70 km from the Ukkadam Perur Road Junction to Kovaipudur and for the construction of a high level bridge across Noyyal to reduce congestion on this stretch of road.
The congestion was due to the fact that this bypass road was the only means for all commuters, buses and trucks plying from Coimbatore along the Ukkadam – Athupallam Road to Kerala.
The bridge construction and the road widening were expected to reduce congestion on this road and benefit the residents of areas such as Kuniamuthur, Kovaipudur, Sundakamuthur, Kulathupalayam, Ukkadam, Big Bazaar Street and Selvapuram.
