Market of neglect

The market was inaugurated around 10 years ago and it is already in a dilapidated condition. Its premises are being used as a garbage dump and temporary shelter for cattle brought for slaughtering. The market was built to shift the private market near Deshabhimani Junction to Kaloor.

But the plan did not materialise since there were no takers for the shops. The GCDA had also planned to renovate the old building complex but the contractor left the work halfway through.

When team ‘expresso’ visited the complex they found cattle being tied in front of the market and garbage and empty liquor bottles dumped inside the building. The stench emanating from the building was unbearable. The market premise was no better with plastic and other waste dumped all over the place. “I have been complaining about this to the government officials for years but they are least bothered. I had to close my shop after incurring a huge loss,” said Salim, a shop owner at the GCDA market at Kaloor.

“The situation is pathetic,” said a shop owner at the complex. “Nobody knows what happens inside the building at night. Many suspicious looking people frequent the complex,” he said. At present only eight shops are functioning at the huge market complex of which five are meat shops. “There is only one security guard here. The GCDA has dumped some valuable items that they seized during inspection in some of the rooms here. At least they should arrange proper security at night,” said another shopkeeper.