12 SCO sites go for Rs 45 crore in maiden Sec 39 mandi auction
The UT Agricultural Marketing Board has managed to auction 12 shop-cum-office (SCO) sites at the new mandi in Sector 39 for Rs 45 crore on a leasehold basis.
According to officials, the bids ranged from Rs 3.72 crore to Rs 3.85 crore against the reserve price of Rs 3.70 crore. An applicant submitted bids for six shops, but ultimately bought only two.
The board had received 34 bids for 16 SCOs, out of a total of 23 sites. The auction concluded today. After the delay of nearly two decades, the UT Administration had decided to auction 23 SCOs at the new mandi in the first phase, as part of the relocation of the Sector 26 mandi. For the first time, the auction was open to the general public as well.
Each shop, measuring 120 square yards, has a reserve price of Rs 3.70 crore. Unlike the previous system, where shops were sold on a freehold basis, these will be allotted on a leasehold basis for 99 years.
In the first phase, 23 out of the proposed 92 SCO sites were to be auctioned. The existing commission agents had demanded sites on a freehold basis.
The remaining sites will be put up for auction in the second phase, as per the terms and conditions of the Chandigarh Estate Rules, 2007.
The Sector 26 mandi operates on 24 acres, whereas the new facility in Sector 39 is spread over 75 acres, and is aimed at catering to the growing demands of the tricity.
Most of the vegetables reaching Chandigarh come from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. With the new location in Sector 39, traffic congestion on the Vikas Marg and Purva Marg is expected to ease significantly, benefitting commuters. However, those travelling from Delhi and Shimla may face slightly increased travel times.
Unlike the existing Mandi in Sector 26, where farmers rely on cold storage facilities in Punjab and Haryana, the new facility will have two dedicated cold storages.
A 2-acre vending zone will be developed to address the long-standing issue of vendors occupying auction platforms, thereby improving space management and visitor convenience. Advanced technology similar to toll plazas will be installed at the entry and exit points, enabling authorities to monitor the quantity of goods being transported into the market.
A separate garbage processing plant will be established to manage daily waste more efficiently. At present, waste from Sector-26 Mandi has to be transported to the Municipal Corporation’s processing plant.
A piece of land measuring 75 acres in Sector 39 was acquired in 1990 and the site was allotted for the new mandi in 2002. After the allotment of shops, the Sector 26 market will be denotified.
