10 yrs on, no buyer for MC shops in Old Grain Market

Jaswant Shetra

Jagraon, August 18 

The shops developed by Jagraon Municipal Council in Old Grain Market has been lying unsold since they were constructed 10 years ago. 

Though the Municipal Council tried to sell the shops in this market through open auction couple of times but none of the shop has been sold so far. 

The shops could not be sold due to lack of bidders. Though there is no dearth of traders interested in purchasing these shops but no trader has shown interest in purchasing these shops due to hefty reserve price of the shops. 

Besides, lack of proper maintenance is another reason that no trader has come forward to buy these shops. 

As per the information, the market was developed in 2004-05 and the local Municipal Council had spent several crore rupees on the construction of this market. Though the Municipal Council tried to sell the shops located in this market through open auction during the recent years but every time it failed to sell the market for different reasons. 

According to sources, the local Municipal Council arranged two auctions for the sale of this market during the past years, but it had to abandon the auction on both the occassions due to different reasons. 

“First time the auction of the market was abandoned due to the death of father of former Municipal Council president Baldev Krishan Dhir and the second auction was abandoned due to lack of bidders”, said a Municipal Council official. 

Though there is no dearth of buyers for the shops in this market but the hefty reserve price of the shops and lack of proper infrastructure make the interested buyers hesitant to purchase the shops. Apart from this, lack of cleanliness and absence of proper water drainage system in Old Grain Market area have been considered as the major obstacles. 

Old Grain Market is located in a lower area as compared to other parts of the town therefore whole the market is flooded with water during the rainy season.

 In absence of proper drainage system, the water remain accumulated in the market for long time after the rain and it often enters the shops located in the market thus causing a lot of problems to the shopkeepers. 

Jagraon Municipal Council President Satish Kumar Pappu the civic body tried to sell the market through open bids but the auction was abandoned due to different reasons. “I would discuss the issue with the authorities of the MC in this regard. We are planning to hold another auction to sell the market in near future”, he said.