THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The City Corporation has decided to give a facelift to the 150-year-old Connemara market by constructing a modern commercial complex in place of the existing market. The decision was taken in an emergency meeting convened by Mayor K Chandrika on Wednesday afternoon following the fire incident. The Corporation authorities plan to rehabilitate the existing shops and vendors in the new commercial complex, which will be more organised and will have hygienic conditions. The renovation will be carried out according to a proposal put forward by Infrastructures Kerala Limited (INKEL), a State Government undertaking. The new commercial complex will come up on the 8.51 acres of land jointly owned by Thiruvananthapuram Development Authority (TRIDA) and City Corporation on which Saphalyam Commercial Complex and Connemara Market are located. In the proposal, INKEL had stated that TRIDA and City Corporation have 85 cents of free land on which a commercial hospitality complex can be developed and another parcel of 75 cents of land on which a rehabilitation block with all facilities can be set up concurrently. Corporation authorities said that immediate steps will be taken with the help of the State Government to start the work of the commercial complex. Earlier, the previous Corporation Council headed Mayor Jayan Babu had decided to implement the proposal, but had to stall the programme following stiff opposition from a section of roadside vendors, who alleged that those who owned shops in the market would be the only people who would be rehabilitated. However, in the meeting held on Wednesday, suggestions were put forward to devise a plan to rehabilitate the roadside vendors too in the commercial complex. The proposed complex comprises a modern marketing block, large parking facility, heritage structures and landscaped green space in order to make the market place a landmark destination in the capital city. The budget of the project is estimated at over Rs 150 crore.
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