Chandigarh expedites shifting of Sec 26 mandi to new site
Chandigarh, June 3
The UT Administration has expedited the process to shift the Grain, Fruit and Vegetable Market from Sector 26 to Sector 39 here.
An official of the Agricultural Marketing Board said the revised layout plan of the new grain market had already been submitted to the Architecture Department for approval. The department was likely to give consent to the revised plan within two weeks. After that, the process for auctioning of 92 SCO sites in new mandi, Sector 39, would be started.
The layout plan of the new grain market was revised after discussions with the Chief Architect, NABSCON and stakeholders.
The official said the auction of the available sites in the new mandi was likely to be held next month. The auction platform for grains in the new mandi was to be constructed soon for smooth shifting of the grain market from Sector 26 to 39.
The UT Adviser had recently directed the Engineering Department and the Architect Department to complete the work assigned to them in a time-bound manner so that the auction of SCOs in the new mandi be conducted at the earliest.
The official said the process for the allotment of shops at the new mandi would be completed within two months. The reserve price for the auction of 92 shop-cum-office (SCO) sites at the new market in Sector 39 would be finalised soon. The auction for allotment would be held on a freehold basis of the SCO site measuring 120 square yards each.
The official said the auction would be held as per the terms and conditions of the Chandigarh Estate Rules, 2007. First preference would be given to the existing licensees of the Sector 26 market, said the official, adding that of nearly 170 licensees there, 30 were dealing in grain and the rest in fruit and vegetables. The reserve price would be calculated on the basis of the collector rate of SCOs in Sector 38.
UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit, in December last year, gave approval to the auction of 92 SCOs on a freehold basis at the new market under the Chandigarh Estate Rules. The issue of shifting the present market from Sector 26 to Sector 39 has been pending since long. A piece of land measuring 75 acres was acquired in 1990 and the site was allotted for the second market in Sector 39 in 2002.
After the allotment of shops in the new market, the Sector 26 market will be de-notified in a phased manner. After completing the auction process, the market would be shifted to Sector 39.
An official said the shifting was delayed as the UT Administration was waiting for permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to adopt the process for the allotment of space at the new site.
The Administration had requested the MHA vide a letter dated May 5, 2021, followed by reminders to grant permission for adopting the Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board (Sale and Transfer of Plots) Rules, 1961, for disposing of the sites in Sector 39. In the absence of the MHA nod, the UT decided to allot the new sites under the Estate Rules.
Auction of available sites next month
An official of the Agricultural Marketing Board said the auction of the available sites in the new mandi was likely to be held next month. The auction platform for grains in the new mandi was to be constructed soon for smooth shifting of the grain market from Sector 26 to 39.
