KOCHI: Aluva Market is dirty, it smells and faces a multitude of issues, including improper waste management. However, the vendors have nowhere to go. For, the swanky, 40,000 sq ft complex that was promised to them over a decade back remains in limbo.
The Aluva municipality had decided to construct a two-storey building to house around 200 vendors for Rs 50 crore in 2015. The foundation stone for the market project was laid by the then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in 2015, but the place never saw any work, said the vendors.
A decade later, in May 2025, the then CM Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the construction of the high-tech multi-storey market complex project, with plans for a modern facility featuring better waste management and vendor facilities.
Ali Kunju, a fruit vendor, said besides infrastructure issues, the market also faces traffic congestion and waterlogging. “Canals are not cleaned properly, leading to waterlogging. Customers arriving at the market find it difficult to enter due to the traffic congestion at the intersection of the PWD Road,” said Sunil, another vendor.
Over the years, the proposed site for the new market complex turned into a place for people to dump waste illegally, said nearby residents. “The site has become an illegal dumping ground,” said Joshy, a resident.
Some sellers also pointed out that they were evicted from old market with the promise of getting a space at the new complex.
“We even paid money to book the stalls. That was a decade ago. Now, we have been informed that preference will be given to new vendors and dealers. We have been made fools,” said Sunil, a vendor.
Aluva municipality chairperson Saiji Jolly said the Rs 50-cr renovation of the market, funded by the Union government, was underway. “All the issues related to the market will be settled by addressing the root cause,” Saiji said.