Gadwal: An integrated vegetable and non-vegetable market was built in Ieeja Municipality, Jogulamba Gadwal district, at a cost of around ₹2 crore. This market is located opposite the Ambedkar statue and was inaugurated by Singireddy Niranjan Reddy, the former Agriculture Minister, during the previous BRS government. However, even after nearly a year, no business activity has started, as local vendors are hesitant to move into the new market.
Despite earlier reports by The Hans India, the market has remained unused due to the negligence of previous municipal authorities. Recently, the current municipal commissioner issued a notification calling for tenders, requiring a deposit of ₹50,000 and a collateral security bond of ₹5 lakh. Unfortunately, this high deposit discouraged small vendors, and only three applicants came forward out of 24 applications for 80 available shops.
To resolve this issue, the Municipal Commissioner held an emergency meeting with the municipal council. Based on the feedback from council members, the deposit amount was reduced from ₹50,000 to ₹10,000, and for non-RCC (reinforced cement concrete) sheds, it was further reduced to ₹5,000. A copy of the decision was sent to the District Collector for approval. Once approved, new tenders will be issued under the revised terms, and refunds will be given to those who had previously applied.
In the past 15 days, authorities have also removed makeshift stalls from the main roads, where small traders had set up temporary shops. Even though efforts have been made to encourage these vendors to move into the new market, no significant progress has been made. The small traders argue that illegal shops built on government land are attracting more customers, making it difficult for the new market to succeed. They are hesitant to invest in deposits and rent for the new market if they expect low customer traffic.
The Municipal Commissioner acknowledged the problem of illegal shops and admitted there is a shortage of staff to take action against those who have built shops on drainage lines in the town. However, he assured Hans India that steps will soon be taken to remove these illegal structures and ensure the proper functioning of the new market. He also requested the government to appoint a full-time Commissioner, an Assistant Engineer (AE), and a Town Planning Officer (TPO) to help address staff shortages.
Lastly, the commissioner issued a warning to local hotels, shops, hostels, and scrap businesses, urging them to maintain cleanliness in their surroundings or face legal consequences.
