The century-old Grand Bazaar popularly known as ‘Periya Kadai’, situated in the heart of the town, is in shambles for want of proper attention.
The French set up the market as an ‘open space’ with demarcated zones for vegetables, fruits, essential commodities, pulses, fish and meat.
Over the years, growth in the number of illegal structures and hawkers has left very little space for people to move about.
Damaged pavements, wires dangling dangerously above the shops, inadequate toilet facilities and massive encroachment is taking a toll on the facility.
The existing amenities are grossly inadequate to cater to thousands of people who visit the place every day, traders complain.
Nothing much has improved though repeated representations have been made to the authorities concerned, they lament.
Unhygienic environment
There is no proper illumination or water supply in the market. The clearance of garbage is also erratic and most of the shops have been forced to carry out their business in an unhygienic environment, traders charge.
When it was started, the Grand Bazaar, spread over 11,500 sq. m, had around 600 permanent stalls and equal number of vendors. But now the number of vendors has doubled and they have taken over every available space in the facility including the pathways selling everything from books, shoes and bags.
“It is high time the municipal authorities paid attention to the gaping holes on the footpaths between shops in the market. Priority must be given to repair them at the earliest. Large stock of goods is kept everywhere in the market. There is need to devise a plan to de-congest the market,” said S. Nadarajan, a senior citizen. There was a plan in 1985 to modernise the shopping complex with aid from the Centre but the proposal is now gathering dust.
The Grand Bazaar has nearly nine entrances from Jawaharlal Nehru Street, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bharathi Street and Rangapillai Street.
Most of the entrances are heavily encroached by hawkers and even two-wheelers pass the stretch with great difficulty. Most of the shops have spread their wares outside the shops and lack of adequate safety measures can cause a major fire at any point of time, traders apprehend.
According to G. Sundarraj, secretary of Grand Bazaar Grocery Shops Owners Association, “We are paying user charges of ₹3,600 per year in addition to various fees levied by the Municipality from time to time. The traders also have to renew trade licence once in three years. But the civic body has not improved the infrastructure and it remains in a bad shape.”
Osmosis plant
Upset over the shortcomings, the Round Table 167 came forward to install a reverse osmosis plant, which meets to some extent the drinking water needs of the traders and the people who visit the market daily
A spokesperson of the Grand Bazaar Market Vendors Association pointed out that officials from the Puducherry Municipality and elected representatives frequently visited the market complex promising to take action as soon as possible.
“All our representations have only fallen on deaf ears. The market has a sanitary complex with 12 toilets each for men and women. They cater to over 4,000 odd vendors and shopkeepers in the market and are insufficient. The market has been devoid of maintenance or improvement measures for a long time now,” he said.
