Cooch Behar’s Bhabaniganj Market to be modernised at Rs 1 crore

Cooch Behar: The Cooch Behar Municipality has initiated a project to modernise the fish and vegetable sections of the Bhabaniganj Market at a cost of Rs 1 crore. Alongside upgrading the road and drainage system of the market, an ice chamber will be integrated into the fish market facilitating convenient storage for fish traders. Process to draw up an estimate for this is underway.

Rabindranath Ghosh, chairman of Cooch Behar Municipality, said: “We have taken the decision to revamp the fish and vegetable market at Bhabaniganj. The municipality will execute this project using funds from the Heritage Fund. In total, the project is expected to cost Rs 1 crore.”

The Bhabaniganj Market is a lifeline for Cooch Behar, with numerous shops and a part dedicated to fish and vegetables. Daily, thousands of individuals from the city and outskirts flock here to buy fish and vegetables.

Despite undergoing a revamp years ago, the current state of the market is dismal. The drainage system is in shambles and such is the condition that people have been trying to avoid the market resulting in a decline in fish and vegetable trade.

Furthermore, under the traditional system, fish traders lack proper facilities to preserve their stock. Most resort to using wooden and thermocol boxes or makeshift setups with ice to keep their fish fresh.