Integrated market to come up at Solar at a cost of ₹20 cr.
The modern complex will house both wholesale and retail shops with adequate parking space and will ease traffic congestion on city roads, says Erode Corporation engineer
An integrated vegetable, fruit and grocery market would come up at a sprawling 10acre at the eastern side of the newly established bus stand at Solar at a cost of ₹20 crore.
An integrated market with shops selling vegetables, fruits, grocery, fish, fancy items and others were functioning on R.K.V. Road that was gutted in fire 20 years ago.
In 1992, the civic body constructed shops on the premises after which vegetables and fruits were sold. During the COVID19 pandemic, shops were shifted to the V.O.C. Park ground premises and continue to function there for the last four years.
The old market, called as Nethaji Vegetable and Fruit Market complex, was demolished and the civic body constructed a complex at ₹29.85 crore.
Since functioning of the market would lead to traffic congestion on city roads, the civic body decided to construct an integrated complex at Solar and held a stakeholders’ meeting.
Traders expressed willingness for the new complex after which a proposal was submitted to the State government. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin during his visit to Pollachi on Wednesday announced that a new complex would come up at Solar.
A senior corporation engineer told The Hindu that the modern complex would house both wholesale and retail shops with adequate parking space, including for heavy vehicles, and would ease traffic congestion on city roads. “People can get vegetables, fruits and groceries all under one roof,” said the engineer who added that the complex would help farmers in the area to market their products directly.
Currently, about 700 shops function on V.O.C. Park Ground premises and the civic body plans to establish retail markets at five places in the city for the benefit of the people. “Once the complex is established, the market on the ground would cease to function,” the engineer added. Currently work is on to design the complex and after finalising the design, tender would be floated and work would commence.