Mabola new public market in a dilapidated state
Mabola new public market a failure Many shops remain shut due to low customers attendance Washrooms in deplorable status
The new public market at Mabola which was built by the Wattala-mabola Urban Council and declared open by Western Province Regional Development Minister M. H. Mohamed on October 10, 2003 has become a failure due to mis-management, residents said.
The market, which was built spending millions of rupees, has only a handful of shops functioning. Many shops remain shut due to low turnout of customers. Some shop owners had been compelled to use shops for storage facilities.
Though no public market had been allowed to operate garages within its premises, the former commissioner of the Urban Council has given permits to operate two garages to repair three-wheelers and motorbikes on the ground floor. This has resulted in the ground floor being filled with three-wheelers and motorbikes.
The topmost floor of the threestorey public market has not been completed and remains empty. Even the power distribution board remain exposed with wires hanging out posing a grave threat.
The washrooms which were in a deplorable state were upgraded with new tiles and other fittings. However, due to the low quality, these fittings had broken. Since the tiles have not been properly laid, water gets stagnated without being properly disposed.
Shop owners and customers complained that the washrooms allocated for women had been taken over by a businessman who operates a factory within the public market. They said the businessman had used a padlock to lock the washroom so only the factory employees could use the facility.
Residents and customers said the current situation of the market should be changed for the betterment of the customers. Urban Councillor Sajeewa Kumara has informed about the condition of the market to UC Chairman Mark Fonseka Gunasekara.
Chairman Gunasekara said the public market would undergo changes as per the request of council member Sajeewa Kumara.