SAD PLIGHT OF THE GAMPAHA PUBLIC MARKET

It was once a hive of activity but is now fast deteriorating due to neglect

Gampaha is the most populous and most visited town in the district with thousands of students, employees and people coming for marketing using the bus and train service facilities available at the centre of the town.

However the public market building standing in this town is in a dilapidated condition and on verge of collapse with most stalls on the upper floor being vacant due to its deteriorating state, while only very few stalls are open for business.

Some traders say the two storeyed market building has become a neglected area due to stalls erected illegally surrounding the common market building, engaged in business activities disturbing trading activities in the market complex.

The concrete slab of the upper floor has cracked in several places and there is risk of injuries to sellers and consumers due to falling detached chunks of concrete. The market building is littered with waste of empties and waste plastic products.

Some traders also blame the Gampaha Municipality for having entrusted the maintenance of sanitary facilities to a private party, where the users of this facility have to pay a fee of Rs.20/-.

Very often the Gampaha town is congested with vehicles, as many vehicle owners tend to park their vehicles on the road due to lack of parking areas within the town limits.

Traders and the consumers stress the need for appropriate action to be taken by the Gampaha MC to renovate the market building so as to provide adequate space to traders to engage in trading, to remove all the illegal stalls on the road and improve other facilities needed for a modern town.