Team Herald
PONDA: The local municipal officials have said that the pending works on the Ponda Market Complex is expected to resume shortly.
The incomplete market complex was inaugurated in 2011 and since then it is lying unused; even the vendors were reluctant to operate from the complex for various reasons.
To find a solution to the issue, a delegation of Ponda Municipal officials reportedly met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and apprised him of the status of the market complex, recently.
Municipal Chairperson Pradeep Naik said that after being apprised of the issue, the chief minister directed the GSIDC officials to complete the pending works within three months. The pending works include repairing the lift and providing toilets.
“After the work is completed, the project will be made operational; many vendors are also willing to conduct business from shops in the complex,” Naik said.
The Ponda Market Complex is being constructed by demolishing the old Budhwar Peth market in 2011; the cost of the project has touched nearly Rs 40 crore. The complex has 150 shops.
However, only 20 shops are currently occupied at its mezzanine floor. As such, the project currently does not generate good revenue for the PMC.
Meanwhile, Naik also said that the Golden Jubilee project, which is delayed due to shortage of fund, would also be completed soon. He said that two more floors are yet to be constructed for which Rs 2.5 crore is required. “GSIDC had assured to take up this work,” he said.
The Golden Jubilee project was approved in 2011 by the then Congress government which sanctioned Rs 2 crore for the project. However, the cost of the project has touched nearly Rs 5 crore.
