A month after Russell Market reopened after being partially damaged in a fire, power supply to the market has not been restored. The iconic market was reopened on April 23 after a fire gutted nearly 170 shops on February 25.
Rs. 11,000 a day
The traders' association of this 85-year-old market has installed five generators to ensure that business is not affected, spending nearly Rs. 11,000 a day on their upkeep.
Mohammed Idrees Choudhury, general secretary, Russell Market Vegetables and Fruits Merchants Association, told The Hindu that more than 10,000 people were directly and indirectly dependant on the market. “We are now ready to do anything to ensure that the market continues to be open. All our hopes now lie with local MLA Roshan Baig.”
He said the traders met with local maulavis who suggested that the association meet Mr. Baig so as to break the impasse with the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom).
The BBMP has reportedly written to Bescom to not restore power supply as the civic authority wants to demolish part of the market.
