Rebuilt Mahatma Gandhi Market ready for inauguration

The rebuilt Mahatma Gandhi Market in Palayamkottai.
| Photo Credit: A. SHAIKMOHIDEEN

The Mahatma Gandhi Market in Palayamkottai which has been reconstructed under Smart Cities Mission project at a cost of ₹14.90 crore, is ready for inauguration when Chief Minister M.K. Stalin visits the district on February 7.

This new facility with basement parking, 439 shops in varying sizes, cold storage facility and pay-and-use sanitary complex will fetch a net revenue of ₹2.08 crore a year to Tirunelveli Corporation.

The 60-year-old market, situated on well-connected 1.22 acres, had more than 500 shops with unit size varying between 3 square metre and 10 square metre. The consignments received by shops at the market could be transported into the market area only manually due to the narrow corridor. There was no parking facility for people and vehicle circulation space for traders. As the market’s floor was lower than the level of roads, water would stagnate inside the market even after a drizzle and caused problem to the traders and buyers.

Hence, the market with 540 shops was demolished in February 2023 to be reconstructed under the Smart Cities Mission programme considering the safety and comfort of traders and the buyers. To ensure uninterrupted business of the traders having shops in the dismantled market, the Corporation created temporary shops on nearby Jawahar Ground and Police Quarters Ground.

The new structure has basement and ground floor with the total built-up area of 3,877 square metres in the basement and 3,553 square metres on the ground floor. While the basement can accommodate 819 bikes and 27 cars, the ground floor with the commercial area of 1,835 square meters will have the shops,which will collectively generate income of Rs. 1.18 crore per year to the Corporation.

Since a cold storage facility has been created in the rebuilt market, up to 50 tonnes of unsold fruits and vegetables can be stored and sold the next day. This facility is expected to fetch a revenue of ₹10.80 lakh annually. A total of 27 four-wheelers and 819 bikes can be parked in the basement since parking these vehicles along the four busy roads around the market would cause traffic snarl. Moreover, the parking area will generate additional annual income of ₹83 lakh and the pay-and-use toilet complex will ensure another ₹19.35 lakh revenue to the urban civic body.

After spending ₹48.23 lakh for housekeeping, the Palayamkottai Gandhi Market will bring in ₹2.08 crore revenue to the Corporation.