Sujanpur’s Holi Mela Ground fetches Rs 2.31 crore in auction
The historic Holi Mela Ground at Sujanpur in Hamirpur district fetched a record more than Rs 2.31 crore in an open auction conducted by SDM Vikas Shukla near here today. Several major contractors participated in the auction while New Raju Tent House from Mohali (Punjab) won the deal in an intense competition. The bidding started at the base price of Rs 1.75 crore and soared far beyond expectations.
The ground would remain in use for the Holi festival for about a month while the official celebration of four-day National Holi Festival would start on March 1. The ground was auctioned for the purpose of installing stalls and tents for business and trade and over 600 such stalls are set up there every year. The hike in the auction amount was significant this year as the ground was auctioned at Rs. 1.57 crore last year and the Mela Committee had earned about Rs 1.64 crore, including income from other sources, from the event.
The SDM said that nine persons took party in the auction, including two who were eliminated on technical grounds. Besides, Rs 1.80 lakh was earned as the participation fee, he added.
He said that the Holi Mela Ground served as a major hub of trade, entertainment and cultural activities every year, attracting vendors from far and wide and creating employment for locals. Manoj Kumar, a local resident, said that such a high amount of auction reflected the growing demand of stalls at the ground. He added that the administration was expected to organise the festival in grand and better way than before.
