The Hindu 29.03.2013
Renovation of Gandhi Market on the cards
Tiruchi Corporation has planned to renovate and
modernise the 70-year-old Gandhi Market, one of the biggest markets in
the State, in a phased manner. The Corporation Council on Thursday gave
its nod for hiring a consultant to prepare a master plan to modernise
the market.
The market, established in 1940, houses
over 725 permanent and pavement shops spread over an area of about six
acres. It attracts thousands of traders and consumers every day. An
official resolution adopted at the council pointed out that the market
has become highly congested given the population growth in the city.
Plans to shift the market to the outskirts of the city have been
unsuccessful for want of a suitable site. Many of the shops inside the
market have become dilapidated and need to be rebuilt. However,
renovating the market at one go will not be feasible and the project has
to be taken up in phases, segregating the market into different
segments.
The consultant would be asked to draw up a
plan to renovate and modernise the market in different segments in a
phased manner. The Corporation Council also cleared a proposal for the
resumption of the construction of a commercial complex at Yanaikulam
near Singarathope in the city.
The project, which
began in 1991, was stalled and had been mired in litigation between the
contractor and the civic body. Following talks, the contractor had
withdrawn the case, paving the way for resumption of the project work.
The
council gave its nod for the construction of the commercial complex
with a parking lot at the basement and 81 shops on two floors at a cost
of Rs.19 crore. The corporation would seek to raise funds for the
project through government grant of loans or would meet the expenditure
from its general fund, the resolution said.