Kozhikode: The construction of a modern shopping mall for selling fish at the central market in Kozhikode city will start later this month. All the traders currently operating in the market will vacate their premises by June 20.

Though the traders were supposed to vacate by June 10 as per an earlier agreement, the deadline was extended by 10 days as work on tents to temporarily relocate the shops could not be completed due to rains.

The new market will be built after the existing building is demolished. The City Corporation has prepared a plan to relocate the shops functioning in the market at three spots near the current location before bringing down the structure.

A 50-cent plot located opposite the market has been taken on lease by the local body for wholesale and retail traders in fresh fish. A temporary fish market has been built on this plot spending around ₹30 lakh. Additionally, 37 temporary shops will be set up on the Corporation’s own land situated adjacent to the northern side of the market to accommodate grocery and other stores. The local body will also provide monetary support to the traders. The third alternate facility will come up near this plot for dried fish sellers.

Meanwhile, a small section of traders in the market are opposing these arrangements and keeping away from the talks with the authorities. However, the corporation officials are hopeful that these traders will also cooperate with the move to relocate them, as a majority of shopkeepers has expressed their willingness to shift.

The modern market is being constructed by the city corporation at a cost of ₹55 crore with technical support from the engineering wing of the Fisheries Department. The new market will be a multi-storey building, with facilities for conducting auction of fish on the ground floor. Retail sales of fish will also take place here.

Frozen items will be sold on the first floor, where a dormitory for drivers arriving with fish from other states will also be arranged. A restaurant serving sea fish and a recreation hall will be the facilities on the second floor.
The biggest attraction of the new market will be the absence of foul smell as the building will be fully air-conditioned.