After much delay, the new fish-cum-meat market on the rear side of Gandhi Market on East Boulevard Road in Tiruchi was thrown open to the public on Saturday.
All traders, who were operating at the old market, were allotted shops based on the auction conducted by Tiruchi Corporation. Sixty-three stalls had been auctioned, and the traders had shifted to the new market and begun sales since Saturday, Corporation officials said.
Constructed at a cost of ₹13.49 crore under the Smart Cities Mission, the two-storey facility has a plinth area of about 25,000 sq. ft. and houses about 148 stalls for fish, poultry, and meat traders. The facility includes cold storage. Infrastructure for loading and unloading fish consignments, sanitary complexes, and parking lots have been provided in the new market.
The complex was built after demolishing the dilapidated market, which had around 60 stalls. Before demolition, the fish and meat vendors at the market were relocated to Diamond Jubilee Bazaar and the space near the abattoir.
The market, which was initially scheduled to be completed by 2022, was completed in March 2023. And the facility was only inaugurated in February this year. Despite commissioning, the market remained non-functional due to various factors including litigation by a section of traders and intense lobbying for allotment of shops to the existing traders with nominal rent.
Meanwhile, traders complain that inadequate ventilation in the market has led to unpleasant odour of the fish and meat permeating the entire area, causing inconvenience to customers and traders. “The stalls are not spacious enough, and there is no proper provision for disposal of waste as well. We would soon make a representation to the Corporation to resolve our issues,” said R. Sadhik, a fish vendor.
He added that the fish prices had dropped substantially, however, sales remained moderate, especially during weekdays.
Published - September 30, 2024 06:38 pm IST
