Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Markets for building materials planned

Special Correspondent

To formalise trade in bulk building materials

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The City Corporation is drawing up a project to set up markets exclusively for building materials at four locations. The civic body has identified sites at Ulloor, Ambalathara, Peroorkada and Pappanamcode for the markets.

The proposal is part of the City Development Plan (CDP) that has been submitted to the Union Government for assistance from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The markets would be designed to provide adequate space for storage and trading of building materials. They would be equipped with shop spaces for materials such as sanitary wares, flooring and wall tiles and plumbing equipment and yard space for heavy, space-intensive building materials such as sand, crushed metal, rubble, steel, bricks and cement.

The markets are expected to formalise trading in bulk building materials that form the lifeline of the construction sector and avoid traffic obstacles caused by parking of trucks by the roadsides. The proposal is to plan an open yard supported by adequate amenities for traders, truck operators and the consumers. At Rs.300 lakh for each market, the project is estimated to cost Rs.1,200 lakh.

The CDP also proposes a project to modernise and augment facilities in the existing markets at Chala. It involves plans to extend and redevelop the Chala market with facilities for pedestrians and petty traders and parking lots designed to ease traffic congestion. A new market building covering 36,000 sq. m would be constructed in the five acres of land acquired by TRIDA at chala at a cost of rs.3,600 lakh.

While redevelopment of the existing market will cost Rs.1000 lakhs, improvement of roads and pedestrian facilities is expected to consume Rs.1,500 lakh. A sum of Rs.200 lakh is to be spent for the improvement of surface water drainage facilities.

For the Palayam market, the plan proposes the development of two acres of land to construct vegetable stalls, fish and meat shops, stalls for general merchandise and an open vending platform. The project cost is estimated at Rs.1500 lakh.

The zonal markets under the Corporation located at Pettah, Peroorkada, Vattiyoorkavu, Thirumala, Anayara and Poojapura market are to be improved.

A project would be taken up for the modernisation of the fish market at Pangode.

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