Nelpettai fish vendors stall demolition; corpn promises relocation
1
2
3
Madurai: Work on the 2.36-crore modernisation of the Nelpettai fish market, one of the busiest markets in the core city area, hit a brief snag on Wednesday, as vendors blocked Madurai corporation officials who arrived with earthmovers and police protection to demolish the old structure.
The officials came to dismantle the four-decade-old stalls ahead of constructing a new market complex. However, members of the Nelpettai fish market association blocked the officials, preventing the machinery from entering and bringing proceedings to a standstill for an hour.
The vendors insisted the demolition could not proceed until they were given a suitable temporary site to continue trading. "The plot offered to us near the goat-slaughter area is unhygienic and unviable," association secretary Emam Jawahar Sadiq told TOI.
"We have petitioned the commissioner asking for a location in the vicinity so that our mainly retail customers are not inconvenienced."
After talks, corporation officials agreed to defer the demolition until next week and to identify an alternative spot acceptable to the traders. "We are scouting for a place and an arrangement will be finalised shortly. The association also wants an assurance on shop allotment once the new market is built; that aspect will be examined," corporation commissioner Chitra Vijayan said.
A fish market association member pointed out that earlier proposals to shift the fish vendors to Mattuthavani were dropped after the association argued that the Nelpettai market—located within city limits—caters mainly to small, walk-in buyers and does not cause major traffic disruption. "The redevelopment is a boon, but we must be able to earn a livelihood in the interim," Sadiq added.
Local residents also welcomed the upgrade plan, describing the present market as cramped and difficult to maintain.
"Nelpettai has always been the go-to place for fresh fish, but its condition often creates inconvenience," said Naga Raj of Kamarajar Salai. "A cleaner, better-organised market will benefit both shoppers and vendors," he added.
According to corporation officials, once commenced, the project will replace the dilapidated structure with a modern facility in 10 months, designed to improve hygiene, circulation, and waste management.
**Project Highlights**
- **Project Cost:** Rs2.36 crore
- **Area:** 10,000sqft
- **Infrastructure Upgrades:**
- 42 new shops
- Separate toilet complexes for men and women
- **Timeline:**
- Work order awarded after tender process
- Completion expected within 10 months from the start date
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Private bus operators in Pune district warn of strike from June 15
Pune: The Pune District Luxury Bus Association has warned of an indefinite strike starting June 15 because of alleged high-handedness of the city traffic police. If the organisation goes ahead with the threat, it could spell trouble for thousands of commuters. President of the association Balasaheb Khedekar told TOI that despite police assurances that action for entering city limits would begin only after June 15, cops had already started to penalise them. "Many of our buses were fined in the last few days. There have been instances when our vehicles were stopped and forced to exit city limits. How will we operate like this? We will go on strike from June 15 if things are not sorted out," he told TOI. Pune district has around 800 private buses going to several cities in different districts of Maharashtra and the neighbouring states. On average, as many as 70,000 people use the private buses daily. Khedekar said that on June 1, Pune traffic police issued a directive that private buses should not enter the city from 6am to 11am and from 6pm to 10pm. "We were told the matter would be open to suggestions and objections for the next 15 days. However, they have started to fine the buses already. We will soon hold a meeting with our counterparts in Pimpri Chinchwad on the matter. Authorities should take the problem seriously," he added. Working President of the Pune Bus and Car Owners Association Kiran Desai said they were supporting the agitation. "Why are MSRTC and PMPML buses allowed to operate at all times? We also provide public transportation, so why are we being treated differently. We have been requesting the authorities for designated parking spots and some bus stands for a long time now. All our pleas are ignored. We sent a letter to Pune RTO on Thursday and will meet the officials soon," Desai added. Sameer Singh, who is to travel to Bengaluru on a private bus later this week, said, "If the strike happens, my travel plans will be disrupted." Speaking to TOI, DCP (traffic) Amol Jende said that in the last two months, four meetings have been held with the association. "They were told to follow police guidelines and regularise operations. We provided them with parking space at Kharadi Wageshwar on the Pune-Ahmednagar Road and Shewalewadi along the Pune-Solapur Road. Additionally, years ago, space was provided to them at Sangamwadi and Swargate. Also, they should only stop at the destination, but they keep halting as they please. Police action started since they were not following rules," the senior officer said. (With inputs by Aseem Shaikh) Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Gadkari seeks 5% GST on crude ethanol to push flex-fuel cars, warns against petrol parity
As the Centre and states gear up for a major overhaul of India's Goods and Services Tax ( GST ) framework, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has called for a reduction in the GST rate on crude ethanol—from the current 18 per cent to 5 per cent —in a bid to support the production and adoption of flex-fuel vehicles , according to a report by ToI. At present, ethanol that is used under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme attracts a concessional GST rate of 5 per cent . However, crude ethanol continues to be taxed at the higher rate of 18 per cent . A source told TNN that Gadkari has urged for parity between the two, cautioning that taxing crude ethanol at such a high rate could discourage people from opting for vehicles that run entirely on ethanol. "Why will people go for these vehicles if the price of crude ethanol is equal to or more than that of petrol?" the source quoted Gadkari as saying. Although over 400 fuel outlets in the country currently offer 100 per cent ethanol, consumer interest remains weak. Gadkari believes this trend can be reversed if a more favourable tax policy is introduced for crude ethanol. Gadkari's appeal comes as the Union government is in the process of re-evaluating the GST structure. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and a team of officials are reviewing various rationalisation proposals ahead of detailed consultations with states. The larger exercise aims to streamline the GST regime, enhance revenue efficiency, and address classification issues that have emerged since the tax was introduced in 2017. Earlier attempts to bring about change through two separate Groups of Ministers (GoMs) did not yield any actionable consensus. A third GoM is now studying the issue of cesses, particularly the compensation cess, which is set to lapse in March next year. India's GST structure currently features four primary tax slabs: 5 per cent , 12 per cent , 18 per cent , and 28 per cent . While the majority of items fall under the 5 per cent bracket, most of the revenue is generated from the 18 per cent slab. Industry bodies have long been pressing for a simplification of this framework, especially a merger of the 12 per cent and 18 per cent slabs into a single rate of 15–16 per cent . However, such a move may lead to revenue losses and face political opposition from states. Gadkari's proposal to lower GST on crude ethanol aligns with the country's wider energy and transport objectives, including reducing reliance on imported oil and encouraging the use of alternative fuels . It is still uncertain whether this suggestion will be included in the final set of GST reforms currently under consideration.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Trump teases 'Gold card' for US residency again as skepticism mounts
TOI correspondent from Washington: MAGA supremo Donald Trump once again teased the imminent arrival of "Trump GoldCard," with his minions claiming millions of foreigners are waiting to fork out $5 million each to buy American residency and a path to citizenship. Almost 15 weeks after he announced the new visa program would be rolled out in two weeks, Trump unveiled a sketchy website that merely said that "The Trump Card is Coming" and asked those interested to "Enter your information below to be notified the moment access opens." There was no date and no details of the program. Patchy details previously announced by the administration said the program, intended to replace the existing EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, is aimed at granting permanent US residency and a "potential path" to citizenship for wealthy foreigners with a "gold car" on payment of $5 million. Unlike the EB-5 program, which requires investments in job-creating businesses, the Gold Card, now dubbed "Trump Card" appears to involve a straightforward $5 million payment without specific job creation requirements Trump and his lackeys have thrown out fantastic numbers, talking up the prospect of attracting more than 1 million foreigners paying $5 million each to generate $5 trillion, a sum that could pay down the country's mounting debt that now stands at $36 trillion. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo While MAGA diehards seem resentful of US citizenship sold in such a crass manner to foreigners, others are fantasizing about millions of foreigners paying off the US debt and creating a surplus. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed in March that he had "sold" 1,000 cards (in the yet to be rolled out program), generating $5 billion, and that Elon Musk "is building the software right now" for the application process. But there is widespread skepticism, about both the legitimacy of the programs and the tall numbers, with some experts estimating that only 20,000–30,000 non-American centimillionaires (with a net worth of $100 million and above) globally could afford the $5 million fee, far below the 1 million targeted by Trump. There is a ceiling of 10,000 visas annually for the existing EB-5 program and even that, requiring an investment of only around 1 million, is not filled in some years. Trump has announced that there will be no ceiling on the so-called Gold Card. In further sweeteners to 'wealthy and successful' individuals Trump hopes to attract to the US from across the world, he has said they would not be required to pay taxes on their global income. US lawmakers, including some Republicans, are also in a wait and watch, arguing that creating a new visa category requires congressional legislation, a power reserved for Congress under the Immigration and Nationality Act. The executive branch, they maintain, cannot unilaterally grant permanent residency or alter tax laws for foreigners. MAGA diehards have more fundamental concerns -- about a US overrun by wealthy foreigners replacing poor immigrants.
