Kolkata: A Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) team on Wednesday visited the Lansdowne Market for survey wherein they requested the traders, ones who haven’t shifted yet, to move out quickly so the market overhaul work can be started this month.
The member mayor-in-councils (MMICs) Amiruddin Bobby, Sandip Bakshi and Baiswanor Chatterjee, along with other KMC officials, visited the Lansdowne Market to speak with the traders who are yet to move out of the market building which is all set for an overhaul.
Amiruddin Bobby, MMIC Market, told the media: “Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has directed that the work needs to be completed within this year. The obstacle was relating to nine traders but we held a meeting on Tuesday to carve out a solution. Three of the shops have been dealt with where the traders have been handed over the keys.
They will shift in the next one to two days.”He further added: “Today, we spoke with the traders of the remaining six shops. We have created space in the ground floor for them since they cannot shift up to the upper floors.
We have shown the available space. We will aim to start the work in the next three or four days. Piling work has already started. By next May 21, we will hand over to them an agreement.”
All the MMICs were seen negotiating with the traders who were reluctant to move out. They were assured of all cooperation but told that no further time can be given since the project has been in limbo for a long time due to apparent complications over rehabilitation of the traders.
KMC has launched a long-overdue modernization plan for Lansdowne Market in South Kolkata, stalled for nearly three decades due to issues like parking shortages, trader resistance, and ownership disputes.
The revamp aims to transform the market into an eight-story complex on a 2.5-bigha plot, accommodating 350 traders on the first two floors. Under a public-private partnership, the developer has 18 months to complete initial construction, allowing traders to relocate temporarily before final development.
Recent incidents of falling concrete from the market’s ceiling underscored the urgency of the project.