The Tiruchi City Corporation plans to revive the proposal to shift the flower market from Sathara Veedhi to North Devi Street in Srirangam.
Since the existing flower market on Sathara Veedhi hinders the smooth flow of vehicular traffic, the civic body passed a resolution in 2008 to shift it to North Devi Street, where a bus stand functioned. It subsequently allotted ₹4 crore to build a new integrated market for flower traders. A temporary shed was established thereafter. However, the project could not take off due to the change of government in 2011. The project was again revived and then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who was elected to the State Assembly from the Srirangam constituency in 2011, laid the foundation for the integrated flower market. The project had not started this time too.
The Corporation has decided again to revive the project. As a prelude to drafting a Detailed Project Report (DPR), Minister for Municipal Administration K.N. Nehru, accompanied by Collector M. Pradeep Kumar, Mayor M. Anbazhagan and Commissioner R. Vaithinathan visited the proposed site and held a detailed discussion with them.
Sources in the Corporation told The Hindu that the proposed site was sufficient to accommodate all wholesale and retail flower traders. The site owned by the Corporation, where the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) functioned, could also be used, if needed, for building a new flower market. All activities of the flower market could function under one roof once the new market was constructed. The estimated cost of the project and the number of shops would be known once the preparation of the DPR.
V. Jawahar, councillor representing ward 3, who stressed the importance of reviving the project in the recent meeting of the Corporation Council, said the new market would reduce the traffic congestion on Sathara Veedhi and its adjacent streets. Provision of bigger space, along with cold storage facilities to the traders, would help them scale up their business volume.
