The fruit market at Gaddiannaram, the only wholesale fruit market in the city, will be shifted to the logistics park at Batasingaram, 25 km away, by month end.
The marketing department held a meeting with 340 commission agents a couple of days ago where they were told that the government had transferred the 21-acre facility to the health department for construction of a super speciality hospital. The hospital was one of the five for super speciality healthcare proposed by the government in the city. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet recently.
At the meeting with the commission agents at NTR vegetable market, which ended abruptly amid arguments and counter arguments, senior grade market secretary Padma Harsha faced stiff resistance to the move to shift the fruit market as adequate facilities were lacking at the alternate site at Batasingaram. She explained to them that Batasingaram was only a temporary market till the market at Koheda over 170 acres was constructed. She set a deadline of August 23 to vacate but the agents insisted that they were willing to go to Koheda anytime and not Batasingaram if adequate facilities were provided at the former. They also highlighted that Batasingaram was too small for farmers to bring their produce and store.
The layout at Koheda was being prepared and, then, the detailed project report submitted to the government.
Marketing director G. Lakshmi Bai told The Hindu that there was no court litigation to stop the shifting of market from Gaddiannaram to Batasingaram as the government had already filed its reply to the petition moved by commission agents. She said a shed over 50,000 sq. ft. which was constructed at Batasingaram was sufficient for commission agents to carry out their transactions. There was also a dormitory, cold storage facility and a huge parking space.
Of the 340 commission agents at Gaddiannaram, only 174 had permanent accommodation while the others traded on auction plots. There were also 35 retail shops. The market was established in 1986. Three other markets for vegetables and other perishables were also set up in city at Gudimalkapur, Bowenpally and Malakpet.
