Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is exploring the possibility of repairing and renovating the four-decade-old Sakherbazar market in Behala.
Built in the early 1980s, the market has developed cracks over the years and is in urgent need of repair, posing risks to traders as well as customers.
Mayor Firhad Hakim on Monday inspected the market along with borough chairman Sudip Polley, KMC Commissioner Sumit Gupta and other senior officials. Engineers of the KMC Market Department, led by its in-charge Amiruddin (Bobby), were also present during the inspection.
“This is a very old market and some portions have caved in. I have come here with engineers so that we can draw up a development plan for the market,” Hakim said.
“A Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be prepared and after that we will hold a meeting to decide the future course of action — whether the entire market needs to be demolished and rebuilt or whether repair and renovation will be sufficient.”
When asked whether the market would be developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, the Mayor said that the first step was to assess the engineering feasibility of redevelopment. “Once the DPR is ready, we will explore the commercial aspects,” he added.
A Market Department official said the plan was to upgrade the market with modern infrastructure to provide better facilities for customers. “The redevelopment work will ensure the safety of both traders and buyers,” the official said.