Vegetable and fruit vendors in Palayam Street have opposed the proposal by the Calicut Development Authority (CDA) to shift the market to the Urban Wholesale Agriculture Market at Vengeri. Leaders of trade forums have expressed their displeasure over the move, claiming that it would uproot small traders from the heart of the city.
The association leaders contended that the vendors would lose regular clientele if the old market was shifted to the new location, which is several kilometres away. According to them, there were small traders who were active in and around Vengeri, who would pose a challenge to the new venture.
M. Ashraf, district general secretary of the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti (KVVES), said the CDA had projected “traffic congestion” as the main reason for the shifting the market, which started functioning in 1947. The merchant organisation leaders warned that they would launch a series of protests if the CDA went ahead with the proposal. “We are ready to cooperate with any kind of reconstruction work in the area, but, shifting it from the current location would be resisted by all means,” he said.
The Corporation’ standing committee on Public Works said it was not aware of the fresh move. “This is a State government-funded initiative. We have no control on the same,” said M. Mohanan, chairman of the committee. He pointed out that the Vengeri project was part of a separate master plan for the city, funded directly by the State government.
The traders in Palayam market had earlier too resorted to protests against attempts to shift the trading place.
The first in the series was against a project initiated by the City Corporation to relocate the traders to Kalluthankadavu.
