KMC set to start feasibility study on Park Circus market reconstruction

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will soon start a feasibility study regarding the reconstruction of the Park Circus market situated at Beck Bagan Row, which is presently in a crumbling condition. Built in phases between the late 1930s and mid-1950s, in July 2022, a huge chunk had fallen off a second-floor parapet of the two-story market, injuring a 56-year-old stall owner, following which temporary repair work was done.

“The first tender that was floated for identifying an agency for the feasibility study did not mature. We floated the second tender and now three agencies have turned up. We will give one month for the study and accordingly, our top brass will decide on the construction of the market,” said a senior official of KMC’s Market department.

According to sources, KMC has plans to construct a G+6 building in place of the existing old market, which has three floors. The total land is around 5 bigha with an estimated 75000 square feet area.

“The feasibility study will survey how much area can be utilised for the construction of the market structure, ensuring fire safety measures, whether G+ 6 is a feasible option, abiding by the Building laws, considering the area available. We want to accommodate as many shop owners as possible in the ground floor, as the latter have insisted that higher floors will reduce their sale prospects,” said Amiruddin (Bobby), who heads KMC’s Market department.

Engineers of the civic body are of the opinion that if 40,000 square feet is available, then the 400-odd shop owners can be accommodated in the ground floor itself. If the shops can be accommodated on the ground floor, then the top brass of the civic body will take a call on how to use the additional vacant space available.

The KMC has identified an area in the Park Circus Maidan for temporarily shifting the shop owners. They have agreed to pave the way for the demolition of the market and to construct it afresh. The Civil Department has already floated a tender for the temporary shifting of the stall owners. The space should be utilised in such a manner that various religious occasions that are held on the ground throughout the year are not affected.

Mayor Firhad Hakim has made it clear that KMC will construct the market on their own and no PPP model will be adopted. The DPR (Detailed Project Report) of the proposed market will be prepared following the feasibility study report.