The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has granted planning permission for the construction of a Wholesale Foodgrain Market in Koyambedu.
The construction on an area of 15.5 acres earmarked by the CMDA near the proposed Koyambedu Metro Rail Station is likely to begin soon. The market would have 496 shops classified into three types.
A total of 370 shops of Type I would be constructed with a built-up area of 1,100 sq ft each. As many as 90 shops of Type II would be 1,600 sq ft each and 36 shops of Type III shops would be constructed in an area of 1,400 sq ft each.
ADVERTISEMENT
The market would also have a modern godown spread over 1,800 sqm and 5,600 sqm of commercial area. A park would come up in the OSR area of 3,660 sqm.
The CMDA has proposed to avail only 0.4 Floor Space Index for the market building and has large open space with wide roads between each of the 20 blocks of shops. The shops would have two levels with mezzanine floor. Rainwater harvesting system would be in place.
The market would be completed in 18 months from the date of commencement of work.
ADVERTISEMENT
Initially, the Wholesale Foodgrain Market and Textile Market were proposed in 30 hectares with a total of 1,000 shops.
As a chunk of the land was allocated for the Metro Rail Depot, the CMDA decided to reduce the size of the market according to the requirement of the wholesale grain traders and shift the market to another piece of land near the Metro Station, said CMDA vice-chairperson Susan Mathew.
A recent study has shown that the demand in the market is for around 490 shops. Pricing of the shops would be decided by the CMDA after meeting with the traders.
As the study found that the demand for the textile market is low, the CMDA has decided to construct only the grains market now.