Kolkata: In a bid to take measures for the overhaul of dilapidated municipal and private markets, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is learnt to be waiting for a comprehensive report to be submitted following the completion of a survey by a committee formed by the Mayor.
In this respect, mayor Firhad Hakim informed: “I have formed a committee which is surveying both municipal and private markets. The additional municipal commissioner has been appointed as the chairman of this committee. The other members are OSDs to director generals of departments civic and lighting, director general of Market department, chief manager market, apart from engineers. They will visit every market and then submit a comprehensive report. We will act according to that and determine how we should go about it.”
The response of the mayor came in the wake of queries raised by councillor Biswarup Dey who said that there are several private markets in the KMC area which are in a dilapidated condition. Two examples cited by him were Bowbazar Market at Bipin Behari Ganguly Street in ward 48 and Lebutala Bazaar at Shashi Bhushan Dey Street in ward 50. He said any moment an untoward incident may take place if these are not taken up for repair work.
Following an incident of collapse of a portion of the Bowbazar market last year, the mayor had said: “Private market building owners are not maintaining their properties. The KMC has warned such owners several times but it fell on deaf ears.” He added there are also other market buildings in the city which are ill maintained and pose a risk of collapse. “If building owners do not listen to us, we will have to take measures to ensure they fall in line”
warned Hakim.
Talking about a possible solution to prevent such incidents which can have disastrous consequences, Hakim had said, “KMC will have to come up with a policy to ensure maintenance of these buildings. We will draw up the policy and send it to the state government for approval. Further, in case we find any damaged and ill maintained ‘gari barandas’ in these old buildings, we will demolish them.”