CHENNAI: The auction of space behind flower market for Pongal festival failed to evoke much enthusiasm on Tuesday as Market Management Committee plans to rework the upset price before calling for fresh auction next year.
“We had fixed the upset price at 7.16 lakh. But there was only one bidder for Rs 6 lakh. Now we will have to fix the upset price to Rs 6 lakh. The next auction is likely to be held on January 5,” a MMC source said. Interestingly, last year the auction fetched MMC Rs 7.16 lakh.
This comes as Asia’s largest perishable goods wholesale market is gearing up for Pongal and is making adequate preparation to make way for thousands of truckload of sugarcane and vegetable.
With only few weeks away, Marketing Management Committee is hoping that the Pongal next year would be a sweet one. “This year, the state had adequate rains unlike the previous year. We expect more than 1,000 truckloads of sugarcane to arrive at the market. Last year the arrival was more than 750 truck loads of sugarcane,” a MMC source said.
The hope for better revenue rests on the alternate site likely to be provided for state transport corporation buses. They were usually parked behind the flower market. “This year we are expecting it to be parked behind K-10 police station in Koyambedu,” the source said.
“There were similar plans during Ayudha Pooja but the rain played spoilsport as such a part of the space behind Flower market was used by the transport department to park the buses,” the source said.
Interestingly, MMC has already charted out a list of charges to be collected from the vehicles and vendors selling things for the Pongal festival.
Sources said a sugarcane lorry load would fetch Rs 1,000, while a tempo would have to shell out Rs 500. Similarly, truck load of plantain trees would fetch MMC Rs 500.
Meanwhile, a meeting with the traffic police will also be convened to sort out traffic related issues, MMC sources said.
Sources also revealed that Koyambedu market will have additional 40 surveillance cameras next year. “The tenders would be floated in January,” the MMC source said. It is learnt that a total of seven cameras have been installed from Gate number 7 to Gate number 14.