Chandigarh: Shifting of marble, furniture markets to get delayed

The shifting of the marble market in Dhanas and the furniture market in Sectors 53 and 54 to the upcoming Bulk Market in Sector 56 is likely to get delayed, as the UT Administration is yet to get environmental clearance for the new site.

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According to officials, an application to obtain environmental clearance from the Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change would be submitted within a week and it would take nearly a month and a half to obtain the environmental clearance from the ministry.

After getting the approval from the ministry, the process to shift the markets would be started most probably in the month of August and bids invited for allotment of sites in the new bulk market. Traders from other businesses would also be eligible to take part in the bidding process.

Earlier, the Engineering Department had planned to make the market ready for auction by May, but in the absence of green nod, the work was being delayed.

The environmental clearance is mandatory, as the built-up area in the new market is more than 20,000 sq mt. Also, the Administration has to cut nearly 339 trees, including 34 dried-up ones, before the allotment of sites.

The Bulk Market is being developed at a cost of Rs 20 crore over 44 acres. It has 191 plots measuring 1 kanal each and 48 booth sites. A basement and three floors will be allowed on the one-kanal sites. Initially, the Administration had planned to shift only the marble traders from Dhanas to the new market. Recently, it decided to relocate the furniture market operating from the government land along the road separating Sector 53 and 54 to the upcoming market. Now, both furniture and marble traders will be given the option to place bids for the plots in an open auction.

Traders have been occupying this chunks of prime land worth Rs 4,000 crore in Sectors 53 and 54 for the past 40 years. The Administration had acquired 227.22 acres in 2002 for the development of the third phase of Sectors 53, 54 and 55, but encroachments continued despite multiple notices.