KMC likely to complete rehabilitation of traders from Marcus Square before Puja

Kolkata: The Market department of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is hopeful of complete rehabilitation of the traders from adjacent Marcus Square to Barnaparichay Market in College Street before Durga Puja. Some 35 odd traders still need to be shifted.

Meanwhile, the Parks and Square department has begun the work for restoration of Marcus Square to its earlier state. Majority of the traders were shifted to Marcus Square to facilitate the construction of the Barnaparichay Market.

"The beautification of the park is going on in full swing. Some 10 odd shops still remain inside Marcus Square which will soon be shifted," a senior official of KMC said.

There will be a total of 1000 shops in the Barnaparichay Market, including all type of shops under one roof.

The erstwhile Left Front government had planned to develop the century old College Street market.

The Housing department and Bengal Shelter had entered into a contract to promote the market on the public private partnership (PPP) model. The agreement was signed in 2007 and it was decided that the new market would come up within 18 months.

The existing shop owners were shifted to Marcus Square.

However, the Left Front controlled civic board did not put pressure on the owner firm as its owner was close to the then Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and the then Mayor Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya.

The hapless shopkeepers ran from pillar to post and had finally launched movements urging the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to complete the project on time. After the Trinamool Congress board came to power, steps were taken to rehabilitate the hawkers in a phased manner.

"The last phase of the rehabilitation will soon be over and the patch of green in congested central Kolkata that turned grey some 15 years ago will be completely rejuvenated,"the KMC official said.