Most licensed traders at Palayam market ready to move to Kalluthankadavu, says Mayor

The Palayam market in Kozhikode. The civic body has cited concerns over the structural safety of the ageing buildings at Palayam for the relocation.

Amid ongoing protests by traders against the Kozhikode Corporation’s decision to shift the Palayam vegetable and fruit market to the new market complex at Kalluthankadavu (New Palayam Market), Mayor O. Sadasivan has said that 95% of licensed traders at Palayam are willing to relocate, while those leading the agitation are traders operating outside the market.

The civic body cited concerns over the structural safety of the ageing buildings at Palayam for the relocation.

Responding to a calling attention motion moved by BJP councillor K.P. Anilkumar at the Kozhikode Corporation Council meeting on Friday (October 30), the Mayor said the Corporation had provided all necessary facilities at Kalluthankadavu. Mr. Anilkumar had demanded that the dilapidated Palayam market be renovated instead of shifting the shops and traders.

Mr. Sadasivan said that as many as 50 additional rooms had been constructed on the ground floor of the new market, and all reasonable demands raised by the traders had been addressed.

The Corporation has also issued directions to the company that constructed the market complex on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. “If the relocation did not materialise despite all these measures, would any company be willing to cooperate with the Corporation on similar development projects in the future?” the Mayor asked.

“The Corporation has apprised the leadership of various political parties in the district of the developments. Further discussions will be held with them to facilitate the shifting of the Palayam market to Kalluthankadavu at the earliest,” he said.

Meanwhile, United Democratic Front (UDF) councillors welcomed what they described as a change in the BJP’s stand on the relocation. Congress councillor K.C. Shobitha said the UDF had been the only political front to oppose the shifting of the market.

BJP councillor T. Raneesh, however, said the party had not changed its stand. He added that the BJP had supported the report submitted by National Institute of Technology-Calicut (NIT-C), which recommended the demolition of the structurally unsafe Palayam market. “The party’s position is that the relocation should be taken forward only after discussions with traders and workers and after reaching a consensus,” he said.

The Mayor said all licensed vendors at the Kozhikode Beach Food Street had been strictly instructed to conduct business in accordance with the agreement signed with the Corporation. He was responding to a calling attention motion moved by Congress councillor S.K. Aboobacker.

Only three persons, including the licence holder, would be permitted to operate from a single ‘bunk’. The licences of those found allowing unauthorised persons to operate their ‘bunks’ on a subletting arrangement would be cancelled, Mr. Sadasivan said.

He said action would be taken against amusement parks operating on the beach with police assistance.

A calling attention motion on the transfer of employees at the Corporation office led to an uproar, with UDF councillors protesting against more time given to standing committee chairperson C. Sandesh to speak on the issue.

Mr. Sandesh, who moved the motion, alleged that the State government’s transfers of Corporation employees were driven by vested interests and were disrupting the functioning of the civic body.

The Mayor said that the transfers had affected the smooth functioning of the office, and that the shortage of staff would be brought to the attention of the State government.

Mr. Sadasivan said the agreement between the Corporation and the Kerala Football Association (KFA) for the maintenance of the Corporation Stadium would remain in force until 2027. A decision on the future of the arrangement could be taken only after its expiry.

He also informed the council that the contract for operating the sewage treatment plant at the Kozhikode Medical College had been terminated. The Corporation had written to the AMRUT authorities seeking the blacklisting of the contractor, he said.