THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The temporary rehabilitation blocks being constructed to facilitate the redevelopment of the century-old Palayam Connemara Market are nearing completion. According to official sources, two of the three temporary blocks will be ready by January 15.
However, the allocation of temporary shops has sparked a row, with a section of beneficiaries raising disputes over the inadequacy of space allotted for them. Around 50 traders running shops in Trida (Trivandrum Development Authority)-owned land at Palayam close to the market have come out with stiff protests
“Trida had promised to give us proper rehabilitation in the temporary rehabilitation block but now we are not being allotted the promised space. We have been running shops here for the past six decades and we gave away land for road widening and underpass construction. Trida promised to give permanent rehabilitation in the temporary blocks but now it’s not being given. There are restaurants and the allotted space is not adequate. The redeveloped market is only for the traders who will be displaced from the market. We are not eligible for that,” said Siyad S, president, Thozhiludama Association, an association affiliated to Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi.
There are around 50 shops that have agreed with Trida. “We will stall the ongoing construction activities if we are not given proper rehabilitation. The district and state committees of KVVES have extended support and the Trida chairman has promised to hold a meeting soon,” said Siyad.
The traders in Palayam Market who are awaiting rehabilitation also expressed stiff protest because of the delay in the completion of the temporary blocks.
“They had told us that we would be able to shift in June and now it’s January and the work is still dragging on. There is so much uncertainty. We have become hopeless and even now the work is not happening in full swing. I have been running this shop since 1975 and they laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of the market in the 1970s and till now nothing happened. They are just wasting public money,” said a trader at Palayam Market.
According to officials, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has intervened and asked Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL) to expedite the work so that the foundation stone for the redevelopment project can be laid ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.