Koyambedu market infrastructure in tatters after waiver of maintenance fee

C Shivakumar
Chennai;

The waiver of maintenance fee by the DMK regime has left the Koyambedu market in tatters as the commercial establishment is grappling with its limited resources to maintain the market, according to traders.



Traders told Express on Monday that after the DMK regime waived Re 1 maintenance fee, the market condition has worsened with lack of adequate infrastructure and poor condition of buildings.



While traders blame the authorities of doing nothing to improve the lot of market, officials say the market is starved off funds after the waiver of maintenance fee. “Without revenue how can we maintain the market.



A source, who doesn’t want to be named, said currently, the maintenance of the market is being done with the funds collected from the leased toilets as well as from the cess collected from trucks supplying the goods. The government is forced to take funds from the fixed deposit to run the market, he added.



Koyambedu Wholesale Banana Association Secretary T Ramaraja Pandian told Express that lack of maintenance fee may be one of the reason for the failure of infrastructure but then officials are also to be blamed for illegal trading being carried by encroachers.



“If the government promises to take appropriate action against the encroachers and maintain the market then traders won’t have any problem in paying maintenance fee. I assure you they will pay the fee,” Pandian said.



He said the market, which is supposed to be Asia’s largest, hasn’t been white-washed ever since it has been set up. Now we have cows and buffaloes also as visitors,” he rued.



Even the toilets in the market which are leased to contractors are in a sorry state as it has not been renovated and there is no compound wall to regulate the encroachers and starving animals. Some of the roofs are leaking, complained traders.



Interestingly, the roads are also in a bad shape and the previous government had sanctioned Rs 33 crore just before the elections. “Currently, the tender process is on and once it is finished, the roads will be laid soon,” said a Marketing Management Committee source.



Now with the monsoons staring, the market is facing the threat of being waterlogged following metro rail project. Traders said the storm water drain is in a pathetic state and there is a urgent need to renovate it before the rains. “If the renovation is not possible atleast some necessary remedial action should be taken so that the business can flourish during the rains also,” the sources added