Environmental clearances delay work of Chikhli market

 

 

 

Itwari and Maskasath based grocery shop owners planning to start construction of a new spacious market at Chikhli (Deo) in East Nagpur during the auspicious Navaratri festival have once again missed the opportunity. This time it was because of a delay in getting environmental clearances. For the past two months, the shop owners were putting efforts to start the much delayed project on the occasion of the ongoing Navaratri festival. However, on Tuesday President of Nagpur Itwari Kirana Merchants Association Shiv Pratap Singh told The Hitavada that the project is yet to get environmental clearances. “We have already submitted the proposal and are waiting for the clearances. I think we may decide the next date to start the project by the last week of October,” he said.

 

For the past many years, 662 shop owners based in Itwari and Maskasath are dreaming of shifting their shops to the

new market. Taking into account the hardship being caused to the customers and traders in the existing kirana market located in the narrow lanes of Itwari and Maskasath area, the new facility was conceptualized in 2002-03. In 2004, the Government allotted a piece of 16 acres land for the project. However, the project remains on paper for more than 20 years. Initially there was some dispute over the ownership of the land. Then the traders took time to finalize the design of the new facility. And now, the project is awaiting approval of Government agencies. The estimated cost of the project is over Rs 250 crore.

 

As it is one of the oldest commercial places in the city, the existing kirana market lacks proper space for vehicle parking. On the other hand, the proposed market will have a spacious parking space, broad internal roads, a space of at least 1,000 square feet area for all the 662 occupants. Architect Virendra Khare’s V K Associates has already designed a master plan of the new market with all modern facilities.