Chief Minister to inaugurate Ernakulam Market Complex on December 14

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurates modern Ernakulam Market complex with 275 shops, solar panels, and waste management system.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the newly rebuilt Ernakulam Market complex on December 14, which was constructed with ₹72.69 crore in CSML funds. The complex will feature 275 wholesale and retail shops, along with allied amenities spread across three floors.

The CSML and Kochi Corporation will jointly operate and maintain the market for one year, after which the Corporation will take over responsibility, based on a mechanism that has been readied, said Mayor M. Anilkumar.

The market, covering 19,900 sq.m., was rebuilt on a 1.63-acre site. Traders from the old market were temporarily relocated to a ₹5 crore structure during the rebuilding process.

Every effort was made to make the market complex modern and self-sustaining, said Shaji V. Nair, CEO of CSML. He added that the structure has a one-year defect liability period, during which any necessary repairs will be carried out by the contracting firm at its expense.

The rebuilt market includes dedicated spaces for unloading and loading goods, solar-powered lighting, 40 KW solar panels, fire and safety equipment, CCTV cameras, a rainwater harvesting plant, a 30,000-litre water storage tank, multi-level car parking, ramps, a garbage treatment plant, lifts, two diesel generators, and 82 toilets, including those for differently-abled people. The solid waste management system can process up to one tonne of waste daily. The ground floor will house a total of 183 shops, with the possibility of additional shops on the upper floors if needed, according to official sources.

A multi-level parking area, capable of accommodating 120 cars and 100 bikes, will be completed soon at a cost of ₹24.65 crore. Revenue from the market and parking lot will go to the Kochi Corporation, they added.