THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the demolition of the controversial Palarivattom flyover started in Kochi on Monday, the state government has given its nod to Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL) to award the contract of the ambitious Rs 112-crore project to renovate Palayam Connemara Market to the construction company that built the flyover. According to official sources, the SCTL board chaired by Chief Secretary Vishwas Mehta will ratify the decision officially in a meeting which would be held next week.
Though the flyover sparked a major political tussle between the ruling front and the opposition, very little efforts were taken by the authorities to blacklist the contracting company which is still at liberty to take part in the tendering process of several major government projects. According to SCTL officials, they have received the nod from the PWD authorities and are going ahead with the project instead of announcing a re-tender.
Town planning standing committee chairman Palayam Rajan said the project will become a reality soon. “Before awarding the contract, SCTL sought the opinion of the state government. The company has not been blacklisted. Hence, we have no ground to deny them participation legally,” said Rajan. The renovation of the century-old market has been a long-pending demand. While close to 450 traders would be displaced to facilitate the construction works, SCTL would be giving them temporary rehabilitation. The plan is to set up a two-storeyed prefabricated permanent structure in the Trivandrum Development Authority (TRIDA)-owned land inside the market.
According to SCTL authorities, even if a re-tender is announced, the project may end up in legal tangles. “The agency roped in for biomining the dump yard on the market premises has already started work. Once they finish, the land would be feasible for construction of the prefabricated structure to rehabilitate traders. The same company would be constructing the rehabilitation blocks. After relocating the traders, the demolition of the existing market will begin. Our aim is to finish the project by 2023,” said an official associated with the project. As part of the project, a hi-tech fish and meat market would be constructed on the ground floor. The displaced traders would be allocated designated stalls in the section. The first and second floors of the new market would be used for commercial purposes.
“Its been over a decade since the long-pending facelift of the market is being planned. It is finally becoming a reality. We are planning to set up a deep refrigerator to facilitate fish traders. A hygienic and modern fish market is the need of the hour,” said Rajan. He added that the previous development plan of the project was shelved following differences between departments and agencies.
the Project at glance
Main features
●Hi-tech fish and meat market
●Deep refrigerator for safe storage of fish
●Dedicated stalls with a mobile charging dock and water tap for each vendor
●Effluent treatment facility
●Area to park around 250 cars within the building
●Multi-level parking facility which can accommodate over 500 cars
●Protection of the heritage wall in front of the market
B112 crore Total project cost
2023Expected completion date
450 traders to be rehabilitated
Two-storeyed prefabricated structure to come up in the TRIDA land