A subway market on the lines of P alika Bazaar

A subway market on the lines of P alika Bazaar
VIjay Times

hitech market in a subway? Y es, this is what corporators of Vijayanagar and RPC Layout (ward 33 and 34) envisage. If their dream is realised, the project will give an entirely new dimension to the ever-growing Bangalore City .

A proposal to construct a subway from the Food W orld on Vijayanagar VIII main to Marenahalli Road and another from Ashoka hotel on VIII main to BWSSB collection centre on MC layout VII main in Vijayanagar is under consideration by the Bangalore City Corporation (BCC).

The tender process for the second subway has already begun. But the corporators of are of the opinion that this subway can be turned into a high-tech market like Palika Bazaar in Delhi .

Speaking to BVT , Vijayanagar corporator H Ravindra said, "This subway , which is of 45 meters width, is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 53 lakh. I want this to be converted into an ultra modern market just like the Palika Bazaar in Delhi wherein space will be created for vendors to do business inside the subway . By this, I hope the problems bogging Vijayanagar Market will be solved.

However , BCC chief engineer Ranganath is of a different opinion. "With the width of the subway being only 45 metres, no other facilities can be created there. No body can sit there for hours together selling vegetables and other materials as there would not be enough ventilation.

"If corporators insist upon such additional facilities then the width of the subway has to be increased and the basic infrastructure has to be provided at an extra cost. With this the total cost may go beyond Rs 1 crore," he said.

Since this proposal is already in the final stage, where tenders have come up for approval, it is difficult to change the dimensions of the subway , Ranganath adds.

But Ravindra says that even though tender is approved, there is a provision to upgrade the dimensions as well as the estimated cost by 25 per cent. Stiff opposition: Some political leaders from Vijayanagar themselves are opposing the proposal. On condition of anonymity , a politician said, "Since the local MLA does not take others into confidence before planning a developmental project in and around Vijayanagar , we oppose this project.

Though the public welcome the idea of constructing a subway , they do not want a market facility within the sub way . If the vegetable vendors, who have acquired the parking space on VIII main Vijayanagar , shift to the market that has been constructed at a cost of Rs 75 lakh adjacent to the BMTC depot that will solve the problem, they opined.