KOCHI: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will dedicate the modern Ernakulam Market complex, built at a cost of `72.69 crore on December 14 with the authorities promising the facility to be a ‘hygienic and well-planned market’ with a proper waste treatment system to convert daily waste into manure.
“It’s a well-planned market complex with focus on ‘hygiene’ and boasts a Solid Waste Management System that can convert nearly one tonne of waste daily into manure.
To facilitate the same, a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) has been set up in the basement. Further, a dedicated waste collection area has been provided on each floor of the three-storey building. We have also readied a total of 82 restrooms, with separate facilities for women, men and the disabled,” said Shaji V Nair, chief executive officer, Cochin Smart Mission Ltd (CSML).
The 19,990 sq m complex, which has been built at a 1.63 acre site, will house 275 wholesale and retail shops initially. These include 130 vegetable shops, 52 stationery shops, 28 meat-fish stalls, 34 exclusive raw banana shops, seven fruit stalls, and three egg-selling shops. The ground floor alone has 183 shops.
“The vegetable shops will be on the ground floor and the meat-fish stalls will come up on the first floor. However, there will be no bad smell, as we have built a mechanism whereby the air gets sucked out on a continuous basis. The second and the third floors are currently vacant and can be used to set up more shops. There will be an open restaurant on the top floor,” the official added.
A high-level meeting was held on Tuesday at the Kochi Municipal Corporation office to decide on the maintenance of the modern facility. “The whole structure and the equipment will have a one-year DLP (Defect Liability Period).
However, the meeting discussed that a proper system should be put in place for the continuous maintenance of the facility which will be frequented by thousands on a daily basis. We’re planning to prepare an SOP, based on which the corporation can carry out the maintenance. The consortium of shop owners extended their support to the same,” he said.
The other facilities include separate areas for loading and unloading, solar lights, security cameras, fire safety equipment, a 30,000-litre capacity water tank, rainwater harvesting system, a proper drainage system, and lifts. Solar panels have been installed at the market terrace as part of the 40-KW solar system. Each shop has been provided with a smart meter. Two transformers of 500-kVA and 250-kVA capacity have also been set up at the complex premise.
Multi-level car parking
Meanwhile, the first of a series of multi-level car parking facilities being constructed by the CSML at various places across the city will come up on the market complex premise. The foundation stone-laying ceremony for the facility, being constructed at a cost of `24.65 crore, will also be held on December 14. “We’ll complete the facility in three months. The new parking lots can accommodate up to 120 cars and 100 bikes,” the official said.
CSML started the construction activities back in February 2022 by demolishing the old facility.