Deccan Herald               09.12.2013

Palike plans to demolish old building of KR Market

 After the collapse of several old and
dilapidated buildings in the City, in which many people were killed, the
Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has finally decided to get
its act together.

As a first step, a part of the old
building of the historic KR Market is proposed to be demolished. The
plan has emerged at a time when the newly constructed building at KR
Market has generated controversy for its poor design. The Palike,
however, says the old building has to be demolished as it is too weak.
Accordingly, vendors will be shifted anytime soon.

BBMP
Commissioner M Lakshminarayana and Mayor B S Sathyanarayana, who
inspected the market recently, have said the old structure next to the
main building adjoining the Sirsi Circle flyover and parking gate is
weak.

The commissioner further said the cracks that had formed under the historic clock tower would be looked into in the coming days.

Meanwhile,
Y Gowramma, the chairperson of the BBMP’s Standing Committee on
Markets, said buildings were on the verge of collapse not just near the
nearby flyover but also on the east side of the main market.

Traders,
however, seem reluctant to move out. One of them said on the condition
of anonymity: “So far, no BBMP officer has informed or asked us to
vacate. We have not received any notice either. Most of us are poor and
struggle to make a living. Some of us also pay rent, hence we won’t move
out.”

G M Diwakar, the president of KR Market Flower Merchants’
Association, however, conceded that traders had not been paying rent
and the building had become weak. “Besides the old structure, there are
illegal shops in the flower market and they need to be razed, too,” he
added.