The Hindu            20.11.2013 

Integrated market to come up at Panchapur

The Tiruchirapalli City Corporation has planned to establish an integrated market complex at Panchapur on the outskirts of the city to move the wholesale sections of the Gandhi Market.

The recent plans on shifting the onion wholesale market to the Sengulam Colony Market and build some shops for the banana market at Viragupettai overhead water tank complex are only aimed at decongesting the Gandhi Market and easing traffic flow around the market, said Corporation Commissioner V.P. Thandapani here on Tuesday.

“We have drawn up a master plan to create an integrated market complex at Panchapur. However, the project could take about two to two-and-a-half years to come to fruition. In the meantime, the shifting of the onion wholesale market and partial shifting of banana to Viragupettai are interim measures,” he said, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function got up in connection with the World Toilet Day at the Corporation.

The Commissioner’s statement comes in the wake of the disappointment expressed by onion and banana wholesale traders over the civic body’s recent announcement on shifting the onion wholesale market and part of the banana wholesale traders. The traders associations had favoured shifting of the market to an integrated complex.

The corporation move comes following several unsuccessful attempts to identify a suitable site for shifting the wholesale section of Gandhi Market to the outskirts over the past couple of decades.

Just a few months ago, the civic body had announced a plan to shift the onion and banana traders to G. Corner grounds near Golden Rock only to drop it owing to certain legal impediments.

Mr. Thandapani said the proposal to renovate the Gandhi Market, established about 70 years ago, would be executed in three phases. Once renovated, the market spread over about 6.5 acres, could cater to the retail shops. The civic body has also taken up construction of a modern slaughter house behind the market. It has also decided to set up modern fish market one behind the Gandhi Market and the other on the Kuzhumani Road.

“The measures are aimed at easing the traffic congestion around the market pending the establishment of the integrated market complex,” he said.

The Hindu            20.11.2013 

I will do my best for residents: new Corporation Commissioner

Kiran Gurrala (35), IAS officer of the 2009 batch, who is assuming office as Madurai Corporation Commissioner on Wednesday, is keen to be connected with people through Facebook.

A day ahead of taking up the civic body mantle here, he was prepared to do the best for the residents in terms of basic infrastructure and public amenities.

“ Access to all people through Facebook and similar means of e-communication will be among my priorities. A detailed road map will be prepared in consultation with the Mayor, councillors and officials,” Mr.Gurrala told The Hindu over phone on Tuesday.

Prior to this posting, Mr.Kiran served as Additional Collector (Development) and Project Officer of District Rural Development Agency in Sivaganga district.

He was posted as Madurai Corporation Commissioner by the State Government on Sunday.

Stating that he would first listen to all sections of people for a couple of days to know what was needed for Madurai, he said Information Technology would be tapped in the best way so that he could stay connected with the public.

Specific areas where Madurai city was deficient would be identified and steps would be taken accordingly with top priority to basic amenities, he added.

The officer who hails from Hyderabad had his engineering degree in electrical and electronics branch from NIT, Warangal. He was the Sub-Collector of Cuddalore district when Thane cyclone hit the coast in 2011.

The Corporation is scheduled to have its monthly council meeting on Thursday and that would be Mr.Gurrala’s first major official engagement.

The new Commissioner comes in the place of R. Nanthagopal who was posted as Vellore Collector last month.