The Hindu 24.09.2014
Coimbatore City gets modern fish market, bridge across Noyyal
-
Sporting a new look:The wholesale fish market at Ukkadam in Coimbatore,
was inaugurated by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa through videoconference
on Tuesday and (right) the renovated building of the municipal office in
Udhagamandalam in Nilgiris district.- Photos: K.Ananthan and M.
Sathyamoorthy -
Modernised facility can accommodate 47 wholesale sellers and 2,000 retail sellers
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Tuesday inaugurated a
modernised Corporation wholesale fish market and a bridge across Noyyal
here through video conference from Chennai.
According to a press release, the Corporation was earlier operating a wholesale fish market spread across 1.71 acres at Ukkadam.
However,
the market lacked adequate facilities and posed difficulties to the
public and the retail sellers. Following this, the Corporation drew up
plans to modernise the facility at a cost of Rs. 3.24 crore.
The
National Fisheries Development Board allotted Rs.2.25 crore through the
Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation with the Coimbatore
Corporation contributing the remaining Rs. 99 lakh.
Now,
the modernised fish market can accommodate 47 wholesale sellers and
2,000 retail sellers. It was spread across 22,200 sq.ft.
It
was also paved with concrete roads and had an ATM centre besides a
canteen, vehicle parking lots, toilets, a place for processing the fish,
drainage, light poles and borewell.
It was expected to benefit more than one lakh persons who can now purchase fish in hygienic conditions.
The
State Government had also allocated Rs.15 crore to widen the bypass
road of 9.70 km from the Ukkadam Perur Road Junction to Kovaipudur and
for the construction of a high level bridge across Noyyal to reduce
congestion on this stretch of road.
The congestion
was due to the fact that this bypass road was the only means for all
commuters, buses and trucks plying from Coimbatore along the Ukkadam –
Athupallam Road to Kerala.
The bridge construction
and the road widening were expected to reduce congestion on this road
and benefit the residents of areas such as Kuniamuthur, Kovaipudur,
Sundakamuthur, Kulathupalayam, Ukkadam, Big Bazaar Street and
Selvapuram.