2 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Finally, CCMC begins repaving of MGR market roads
COIMBATORE: Bringing much-needed relief to traders and transporters, the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has finally begun laying fresh asphalt roads inside the MGR Wholesale Vegetable Market. The civic body took up the work after years of persistent complaints and prolonged delays.
For decades, traders operating from the market had been demanding basic road infrastructure, as the area turned into a virtual swamp even after a short spell of rain. The situation was particularly dire during the recent monsoon spell, when stagnant water and thick slush made the market premises inaccessible for both vendors and customers. Several vegetable-laden trucks even got stuck in the sludge, further affecting business.
The ongoing renovation of the MGR Market was initiated over two years ago under the Capital Grants Scheme with Rs 3.15 crore allocated in the 2023-24 budget for its overhaul. It was part of a broader city initiative to modernise three major markets including the MGR Wholesale Vegetable Market, the Anna daily market, and the Tomato market in Sundarapuram. However, progress on the MGR Market project remained painfully slow until now, much to the frustration of the traders.
Vegetables are brought to the MGR Market daily from across Tamil Nadu and other states like Karnataka, and in turn, distributed to various parts of Coimbatore and even neighbouring Kerala. Over 112 licensed shopkeepers operate from the market, along with hundreds of loadmen and vendors who depend on it for their livelihood.
"The poor roads were affecting not just our business but also the safety of everyone here," said D Muthu, a long-time trader. "We are finally seeing some action after years of waiting."
With the fresh blacktopping work now underway, there is a renewed sense of optimism among the market community that further improvements might soon follow.
