Arni vegetable shopping complex demolished for renovation

The announcement was made after a concrete roof of six shops collapsed on Saturday due to heavy rain in the area. However, no casualties were reported.

Following the incident, traders requested for an alternative site till the new complex was constructed. The minister allotted a park in front of the municipal office to set up their outlets.

The vegetable shopping complex was built in 1986 and houses 104 shops. Nearly 80 of them are currently in use. Earlier in August, the roof of three shops collapsed and the traders had petitioned for a new complex.

However, issues cropped up when the Municipal Administration Department stated that allotment of new shops would be based on lot and not on priority. Traders, who used the premises on rent demanded that they be given first preference when the new complex became operational.

After the collapse in August, officials asked traders to move out of the complex, however, they refused to vacate and stated that they would carry out the minor repairs themselves.

Following Saturday’s incident, Municipal Commissioner Ashok Kumar who visited the site, locked the complex. Traders said Rs 40,000 worth vegetables in the six shops were lost due to the accident.