THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Inordinate delay in the rehabilitation of traders and fish vendors from the Palayam Connemara Market has put the ambitious and long-pending redevelopment plan for the century-old market in limbo. Even after six months of the completion of the temporary rehabilitation blocks constructed to shift around 389 traders from the market, the Trivandrum Development Authority (TRIDA) and city corporation are yet to make any solid intervention to relocate the traders.
Row over shifting of fish and meat market has indefinitely stalled the redevelopment project implemented by the Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL). Ismail T S, a fish merchant who has been running a shop at Palayam Market for the past 40 years, said that the corporation and the authorities neglected fish vendors, who are the backbone of the market. It is learned that there are around 400 fish vendors operating at the market during the morning and evening hours.
“People come to this market just because of this fish market and it’s unfortunate that the authorities didn’t have any plan for the fish vendors when they formulated this project. We are not against development and now they are unable to rehabilitate us. We will shift only when they find a proper area to do our business,” said Ismail.
There has been objection from the other traders to the plan to shift the fish market near to the rehabilitation block. “Discussion on rehabilitation is ongoing and they are yet to come up with a feasible plan. We need space for unloading the fish and it looks like there is no ideal space here for us to relocate. This is our livelihood and the authorities are even considering the plan to shut down the fish market for a period of three months which we cannot agree with,” said Elias, a fish vendor.
With no solution in sight, the SCTL has taken up the matter with the state government. “The operations of SCTL will come to an end by March end and the project is getting dragged on due to rehabilitation delays. If the project doesn’t take off, we will be forced to utilise the allocated fund for other projects,” said an official of SCTL.
With only a month remaining for the tenure of SCTL to end, the principal secretary chaired a meeting with the stakeholders to expedite the rehabilitation process. TRIDA chairman K C Vikraman told TNIE that a solution will be found immediately. “The chief minister is directly monitoring the project and has directed to kick off the redevelopment project by March. There is an approach road to the fish market behind the newly constructed rehabilitation blocks and that area will be developed to relocate fish vendors,” he said.
The redevelopment project, which is expected to give a lease of life to the iconic market, is estimated to cost around ` 113.62 crore. A hi-tech fish and meat market will be constructed on the ground floor and the traders will be given designated stalls in the market.