Market value, not so good

BANGALORE:The inordinate delay to construct a market complex in Cox Town can be considered a classic case of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s  (BBMP) apathy to provide necessary basic amenities for citizens.The proposal to construct a new market have remained only on papers for many years. It all happened when the then Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (now BBMP) evicted around 20 vegetable, fish and mutton vendors assuring them of constructing a new market complex within six months.  “The authorities had promised us to construct a new market but nothing has happened till today,” said Sundar, a vegetable vendor.The then BMP authorities constructed a few shops on the footpath of M M Road to relocate the evicted vendors. It may not be an exaggeration to say that it is the one and only place where shops were constructed on a footpath by the BMP violating its own rules. “There were incidents where the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) authorities penalised shop owners for encroaching the footpath. Have you ever come across a place in Bangalore where the BBMP itself is constructing shops on the footpath and allows such shops to exist for more than a decade? The encroachment here reminds me the adage — the fence eating the crop,” says Murugan, a resident of Cox Town. The mutton shops on the footpath have become a nuisance for a particular caste who come to the MM Road to buy vegetables. “I hate to come here to buy vegetables but I have no option. The sight of mutton shops and the stench that emanates from fish stalls are nauseating. I expect the BBMP authorities to respect the religious sentiments of people who oppose animal slaughter,” says a housewife on condition of anonymity.The delay in construction a market complex had led the Bharatinagar Residents’ Welfare Association to organise protest meetings demanding the BBMP to take up construction of the new market complex. “We have been demanding the BBMP to honour its assurance of constructing the new market. It would be better if the BBMP authorities construct the market complex where its health office and other offices are located near the police station on M M Road. These offices are expected to be shifted to the complex that is under construction for many years. We need a good and spacious market to accommodate all the displaced vegetable, fish and mutton vendors,” said N S Ravi, president, Bharatinagar Residents’ Welfare Association.Meanwhile, G Bhuvaneswari, Corporator, Sarvagna Nagar ward, said the BBMP Council meeting would discuss the proposal for the construction of the new market shortly. “We expect to shift the BBMP ward offices to the new building shortly. The construction work will commence within a few months,” said Bhuvaneswari.So, will the BBMP begin the construction of the new market ? Well, let’s hope so.