Tiruchy traders against moving to new market at Panchapur

TIRUCHY: After the traders from Gandhi Market in Tiruchy refused to move to the Panchapur integrated market adjacent to the upcoming Integrated Bus Terminal (IBT), the District Collector and the Corporation Commissioner convened a meeting with the traders on Saturday but it ended with no proper conclusion.

The new integrated wholesale market with a storage facility has been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 236 crore in an area of 20.71 acres adjacent to the new IBT at Panchapur in Tiruchy.

While the construction works were almost nearing completion, the district administration asked the traders from Gandhi Market to move to the new market but they refused to move from the existing Gandhi Market while the civic administration has been planning to vacate the market for multi-purpose facilities.

Since the deadline to select the allotment of shops had already passed, no one came forward to move to the new facility. Hence Collector M Pradeep Kumar convened a meeting with the traders in the presence of the Corporation Commissioner V Saravanan and the civic officials.

On Saturday, the meeting was held and the traders maintained their decision not to move from the Gandhi Market. It is said that the upcoming integrated wholesale market could be one of the largest markets in the country with all the latest facilities.

Since around 4.5 lakh commuters are expected every day in the IBT, the market would have a brisk business.

However, the traders appealed to the district collector to ensure the Gandhi Market functions in the same place despite the wholesale traders moving to the new market. They also said that the retail traders might face loss if they move from the Gandhi Market and so, the retailers should be allowed to continue in the same place in Gandhi Market.

The Collector said that the traders need not panic over shifting and that the new facility would improve their livelihood. But the traders continued to press their point that they will remain at the Gandhi Market as well and the meeting ended up without any solution.