Shifting of furniture, marble markets to Sector 56 site hits environment hurdle

The shifting of the marble market in Dhanas and the furniture market in Sectors 53 and 54 to the upcoming Bulk Market in Sector 56 is likely to get delayed. The UT Administration is required to obtain environmental clearance before carrying out any construction work in the new market site.

According to officials, the environmental clearance was mandatory, as the built-up area in the new market would be more than 20,000 sq mt. Also, the Administration has to cut nearly 339 trees, including 34 dried-up ones, before the allotment of sites.

The Bulk Market, which is being developed at a cost of Rs 20 crore, is spread over 44 acres. It has 191 plots measuring 1 kanal each and 48 booth sites. A basement and three floors will be allowed on the one-kanal sites. Initially, the Administration had planned to shift only the marble traders from Dhanas to the new market. Recently, it decided to relocate the furniture market operating from the government land along the road separating Sector 53 and 54 to the upcoming market. Now, both furniture and marble traders will be given the option to place bids for the plots in an open auction.

The UT Engineering Department had earlier decided to make the market ready by May this year. However, the officials said it would take nearly a month to obtain the environmental clearance from the Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change.

The officials said the e-auction would be held soon and traders from other businesses would also be eligible to bid.

According to the officials, traders had been occupying this chunk of prime land worth Rs 4,000 crore in Sectors 53 and 54 for the past 40 years. The Administration had acquired 227.22 acres in 2002 for the development of the third phase of Sectors 53, 54 and 55, but encroachments continued despite multiple notices.

Chandigarh