Residents press for opening of modern fish market in Tiruchi

Residents have urged the Tiruchi Corporation to take steps to commission the modern fish-cum-meat market near Gandhi Market that lies in disuse even after its inauguration in February

Residents have urged the Tiruchi Corporation to take steps to commission the modern fish-cum-meat market near Gandhi Market that lies in disuse even after its inauguration in February.

Constructed at a cost of ₹13.49 crore under the Smart Cities Mission, the two-storey facility on the rear side of Gandhi Market on East Boulevard Road can house around 148 stalls for fish, poultry, and meat traders. A cold storage facility has been established in the modern market based on the request of traders. Parking space with a capacity to hold 200 two-wheelers has been created.

The complex was built after demolishing the dilapidated market, which had around 60 stalls. Before demolition, the fish and meat vendors at the market were relocated to Diamond Jubilee Bazaar and the space near the abattoir.

The market, which was initially scheduled to be completed by 2022, was completed in March 2023. And the facility was only inaugurated in February this year. Despite commissioning, the market still remains non-functional.

The opening of the market was delayed as a section of vendors, who were operating at the old market, approached the court and sought preference in the allocation of shops. A senior corporation official said the shops would be auctioned this month and the market would be opened soon after.

The civic body has planned to allot shops on the ground floor for retailers and the shop with cold storage facilities on the first floor for big-scale traders. It was earlier decided to fix ₹75 per sq ft for the shops on the first floor and ₹77 per sq ft for the shops on the ground floor.

Apart from the ₹13.49-crore project lying in disuse, the entire area near Gandhi Market is cramped because of haphazard parking of two-wheelers on the road. “Traffic snarls would come down if the market becomes functional. I hope this market is utilised properly by the traders unlike the Kasivilangi fish market, where the traders operate under the makeshift stalls, hindering public mobility,” said N. Jamaludeen, a civic activist.