Decks cleared for Sec 39 grain market

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 9

Decks have been cleared for the construction of the new grain, fruit and vegetable market in Sector 39. Finance Secretary Sarvjit Singh has approved the revised plan recommended by Deputy Commissioner-cum-Secretary, State Agriculture Marketing Board, Ajit Balaji Joshi.

Sources said with the approval of the revised plan, the construction of the mandi was likely to be completed within a year.

Under the revised plan, the number of shops in the fruit and vegetable market has been increased from 92 to 130 while the number of SCOs in the grain market has been reduced from 82 to 35.

The Deputy Commissioner had proposed to increase the number of shops in the fruit and vegetable market and reduce the number of SCOs in the grain market.

The reason cited for the change was that there was a provision for 82 SCOs in the grain market under the original plan whereas the requirement was only for 35 SCOs. It was proposed to earmark the remaining 47 SCOs for the fruit and vegetable market to meet the requirement of fruit and vegetable licensees.

However, the Architecture Department was of the view that making a change was not possible at this stage as work had already been started on the project. This delayed the plan by a few months.

The Deputy Commissioner stressed that the amendments were genuine and were based of the actual requirements of the new mandi. He sent the detailed proposals again for approval.

Approximately 200 offices will also be proposed in the revised plan to accommodate all existing fruit and vegetable dealers. Four sites for dhabas and four for “bardana” have also been planned.

The new grain market project has already been delayed for over 20 years. The project was conceptualised in 1996.

The Administration had set March 2016 as the deadline to shift the mandi from Sector 26, but failed to do so.