Market in a volatile state

BANGALORE: Local markets in the city are symbolic of the regional flavour — with their winding roads, the huge line up of shops and the vendors trying to reach out to prospective customers by screaming out to them. But this atmosphere will soon change with the Bangalore Development Authority’s plan to revamp some of the city’s markets.Part of the annual plan of the BDA, the markets that will be revamped are Malleswaram, Sheshadripuram, Johnson market and K R Market.Tenders for the project are yet to be called and the detailed project report is being prepared by experts appointed by the BDA.But it is unclear if there are any takers for these new markets and what these new markets will be like. For example, the proposed revamped market in Malleswaram might not have any takers, with vendors in the old market in Malleswaram reluctant to move to the new commercial building that is being planned by the Bangalore Development Authority.“The revamped market will host the shops and vendors in a multi-complex building. The present market lacks organisation and the new market will be inside a mall,” said Subramanian, engineer, BDA.With the last date for the tenders extended to August 22, the Malleswaram market is going to be demolished and re-modelled.“Our business is here in this area. We have the temple and the post-office nearby and people find it convenient to buy groceries here,” said Nagarathnamma, a vendor in the old market.Vendors in this market will be asked to move to the new commercial building that will come up later in the year.“Let the new building come up. But while it is being constructed, where will we go?” asked N Venkataswamy, president, Malleswaram New Market, insisting that temporary arrangements should be made and assurance be provided before the construction of the new market complex.Having transferred the responsibility to revamp and re-model the markets to the BDA, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has taken up the responsibility of providing temporary arrangements.The Palike will now have to provide temporary shops for 263 vendors in the Malleswaram market.The BDA Engineer said that the new building will be able to accommodate 600 vendors