KOLKATA: The ball has been set rolling for the modernisation of the Landsdowne Market in South Kolkata with KMC identifying the Binoy Bose Road for temporary shifting of the shops at the market.
The Member Mayor-In-Council (MMiC), the highest decision-making body in the KMC has already approved the place for shifting so that the work for pulling down the outer portion of the market which is the first phase of work can be undertaken.
"We will soon start construction of temporary sheds for the shopkeepers at Binoy Bose Road so that they can shift there. Work for the development of the market will start only after they have a place for shifting," Sandip Ranjan Bakshi, the local councillor who also happens to MMIC of KMC' s Lighting & Electricity department said.
Several meetings have been held to iron out issues like electricity cost, shop rent, etc that were raised. Mayor Firhad Hakim was present in one such meeting held a few months ago.
The market being very old poses a grave risk for the stakeholders continuing their business there. A few days back large chunks of concrete fell off the ceiling of the market.
There are 331 shops in the market but many of these will not come under the shift and rehabilitation model as the original owners of these stalls have died and there has been forcible or illegal occupying of that shop.Lansdowne market falls in Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's constituency Bhowanipore. The civic body had inked a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement with a private company for the redevelopment of the market. According to plans, the eight-storied building, to be built on a 2.5-bigha plot would accommodate around 350 traders on the first two floors. The rest of the space will be leased out to traders who will set up stalls.