New grain market in Sector 39: Chandigarh forms committee for auction of shops

The shifting of the grain, fruit and vegetable market from Sector 26 to a new site in Sector 39 will finally see the light of day. Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria has given approval to the auction of 46 shops at the new market.

After getting approval from the Administrator, the State Agriculture Marketing Board has constituted an eight-member committee to conduct the auction of shops in the first phase.

The committee comprises the Administrator, Market Committee, Chandigarh; the Joint Secretary, State Agriculture Marketing Board; the Assistant Estate Officer-I; the Technical Director, National Informatics Centre (NIC), Chandigarh; an Assistant Town Planner, Department of Urban Planning; a Sub-Divisional Engineer (SDE), State Agriculture Marketing Board; a Section Officer, Estate Office (Auction Branch); and a Law Officer, State Agriculture Marketing Board.

The committee will hold an open auction for the public and the shops will be allotted on a leasehold basis for 99 years, instead of freehold. The reserve price for each 120-square-yard unit has been fixed at Rs 3.35 crore.

Out of a total of 92 shops, the remaining units will be put up for auction in the second phase, as per the terms and conditions of the Chandigarh Estate Rules, 2007.

The issue of shifting the Sector 26 mandi to Sector 39 has been pending for a long time. A piece of land measuring 75 acres in Sector 39 was acquired in 1990 and the site was allotted for the new market in 2002. After the allotment of shops, the Sector 26 market will be de-notified.

The shifting hit hurdles as Kajauli waterworks pipelines were passing beneath the new site. An official said as relocating the water pipelines was not feasible, they had planned to develop a green belt over the lines.