Curchorem: More than four months after the completion of the new Curchorem Municipal Council market building, displaced traders are yet to be shifted into their shops.
Former Curchorem Cacora Municipal Council chairperson Balkrishna Hodarkar on Friday criticised the delay and urged the government to expedite the process.
Hodarkar told reporters said the ground-plus-three market complex, which replaced the old ground-plus-one structure dating back to the Portuguese era, was originally scheduled for completion in about one year and seven months, took more than six years to finish.
“Around 40 shopkeepers displaced during construction have been operating from temporary locations and continue to face difficulties,” he said.
Appealing to the government, Hodarkar said the municipality, which is currently under an administrator, should ensure that the traders are shifted into the new premises without further delay.
He also raised the issue of knee-high water accumulating in the building’s basement.
“It is difficult to ascertain from where the water is entering the basement parking area. MLA Nilesh Cabral had said that the water would be removed using pumps,” he said, adding that the water accumulation itself posed a risk to the building.
Shopkeeper Jaikumar Khandekar said the delay was due to two issues: agreements between CCMC and shopkeepers were yet to be finalised, and the assurance to reduce the PWD-fixed rent by 50 per cent had not been implemented.
Responding to the concerns, Nilesh Cabral said he was aware of the issues affecting the building.
He said technical experts from the project’s consultant in Pune would visit Curchorem on Tuesday to study the problems and suggest solutions.
Cabral said agreements had already been given to the shopkeepers, who had proposed certain additions and deletions.
“After finalising the same, the occupancy certificate will be issued and they will be shifted,” he said.
He added that the process of reducing the PWD-fixed rent by 50 per cent was underway and would be resolved soon.
