Indian Express 29.07.2010
With eye on civic polls, VMC puts Ratri Bazaar project on fast track
Express News Service Tags : corporation, Ratri Bazaar project Posted: Thu Jul 29 2010, 03:09 hrs
Vadodara: Even though Barodians are struggling to get basic amenities like drinking water, sanitation and proper roads, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has decided to spend Rs 7.27 crore on the Ratri Bazaar project — a night food market.The proposal for the same has been moved in the Standing Committee of the civic body, which is scheduled to meet on July 30.
VMC plans to develop the Ratri Bazaar on a piece of land near the VUDA circle, which the civic body had exchanged with M S University.
The ambitious plan has been chalked out by Mayor Balkrishna Shukla keeping an eye on the upcoming civic polls in Gujarat.
Sources said the project has been put on ‘fast track’ and senior officials have been asked not to waste time on the structural design and soil tests.
The civic body plans to develop the Rs 7.27-crore project in two phases. It has earmarked Rs 4.56 crore for the first phase and Rs 2.22 crores for the second phase.
In the first phase, we will develop the food stalls, kiosks, security cabin, administrative block, compound wall around the premises, flooring, observation tower, cemented roads and retaining wall. In the second phase, there will be an amphitheater, snacks bar, facility for the sale of art and craft materials, ice-cream parlour, and flooring with paver blocks,” said Municipal Commissioner M K Das.
An official said on condition of anonymity: “Some important formalities are being given a miss. The place where they are planning to develop the bazaar is actually a huge garbage dumping ground and soil test is important since the infrastructure will be used by the public. If something goes wrong the blame will come on the administrative wing and not the political wing. Besides, the rates which are quoted are certainly going to increase because several other aspects will have to be addressed once the project starts.”
