PONDA: The Ponda ‘white elephant’ new market complex leaking has become a headache for shopkeepers and consumers alike as the water from the roof falls near the fair price shops located on the ground floor of the complex.
This annual phenomena is due to the faulty design of roof gutter which leads to leakage.
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The shop owners including fair price shop operators have urged for immediate repairs of the roof gutter for the safety of their grains and consumers.
Several consumers visit the market complex to buy monthly ration quota, but not only area near the fair price shops is slippery, even the passages too become slippery.
Though the Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) repaired the roof recently, the problem of leaking roof gutter has not been solved. There are instances when due to the slippery floor, people carrying their ration have also fallen during the rains and suffered injuries.
The irony is that big garbage bins have been kept to collect the leaking water at the market complex.
Beside this, many people visit municipal library on the second floor for reading books and newspapers. This library too is also leaking and here also dust bins are kept to collect the water. Here too people run the risk of slipping and falling due to the wet floors.
Garbage bins have been kept on all the four floors of the market complex to collect the leaking rain water.
Speaking to mediapersons, PMC Chairperson Ritesh Naik said, “Roof gutter was repaired recently but sadly again it is leaking. It is learnt that gutter pipes are choked due to which it is leaking.”
He said that he immediately directed plumbers to repair it and also PMC workers to clean the floor.
Councillor Shivanand Sawant said, “There is a need to repair the roof gutter.”
He added, “Locals are inconvenienced due to a fault in roof gutter which is leaking.”
He urged the chairperson to immediately look into the matter.
Former chairperson Shantaram Colvekar said, “The priority should be given to do the work in places where public frequent the market.”
Social worker Viraj Sapre said, “The leaking market complex can lead to injuries to consumers.”
The foundation for this market complex was laid in 2009, and it was inaugurated in 2011.The complex have around 130 shops but only around 30 per cent are occupied by some shop owners beside the municipal library.
The vendors are reluctant to conduct business here. Similarly, there is poor response for auctioning of shops. The complex was built by spending around Rs 43 crore but failed to give major revenue to the PMC. Thus, people call it a white elephant as 70 per cent of the shops are vacant.
