Protest brews again over shifting of Palayam market

Merchants protest against fruit and vegetable market relocation in Kozhikode, citing lack of clarity and accommodation issues.

The merchants in the fruit and vegetable market at Palayam have renewed their agitation against the shifting of the market to Kalluthankadavu after the Kozhikode Corporation Council reaffirmed its decision. Mayor Beena Philip had sought the cooperation of the council in implementing the project.

Several protests have been held in the city over the last week under the aegis of the coordination committee of all trade unions against the project. The traders are apprehensive about the lack of clarity in the execution of the project, even though the Corporation authorities claim that everything has been made clear to the traders.

“The biggest issue is that the Corporation is not open to discussions with stakeholders. It is not just the traders in the Corporation building that constitute the Palayam market, but also several street vendors and retailers in the nearby buildings. The Corporation has no plans to accommodate them in the new market,” said V. Sunil Kumar, district treasurer of the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi.

The Corporation has also not revealed the tariff for rooms in the building. “The new building has a lot more rooms than required to accommodate the 60 vendors in the market. However, the Corporation has already sold the extra space to other vendors at a very high tariff. The Corporation should reveal what is expected from them at the earliest,” said Mr. Kumar.

The traders have also accused the Corporation authorities of resorting to threats and attempting to persuade the vendors individually rather than addressing them as a group.

The building at Kalluthankadavu is spread over 1.5 acres of land on the banks of the Conolly Canal and does not have provision for street vendors. Its location away from the bus stand will also adversely affect business. The role of the loading and unloading workers was yet to be defined in the context of the new market, added Mr. Kumar.