The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed redeveloping 47 municipal markets. Out of these, 14 will be under the civic body's internal management.
The Public Private Partnership (PPP) concept would be used for the redevelopment of 20 markets, which include Pali Market in Bandra West, Park Site Market in Ghatkopar, and Tilak Nagar Market in Chembur.
The proposal places a lot of emphasis on modernising and branding each market. These initiatives seek to improve the markets' visual attractiveness as well as draw in more customers and vendors. This step will benefit customers with facilities and shop owners will earn profit in business.
Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Market (Phase II) in A Ward, South Mumbai; Shirodkar Municipal Market in F South Ward, Parel; Babu Genu Municipal Market in E Ward, Byculla; and Topiwala Municipal Market in P South ward, Goregaon are the four markets that the BMC in-house took up and are currently working on rebuilding them.
Four more markets - the Chemburkar Municipal Market in the M West Ward, the Bandra Town Market in the H West Ward, the Navalkar Market in the K East Ward, and the Krantisinh Nana Patil Market in the G North Ward of Dadar - are currently in the tender approval stage. Besides, there are 12 more markets that are in the planning stage.
Efforts are being made to modernise and improve the infrastructure and management of municipal markets, ensuring that they suit the needs of both vendors and customers while encouraging sustainability. One of the first tasks is to redevelop markets under Regulation 33(21) of the Development Control and Promotion Regulations 2034.
A BMC market department official said that the proposed infrastructure modifications include specialised loading and unloading platforms, commodity bifurcation to expedite company operations, and the installation of passenger and cargo lifts as well as escalators for ease of mobility.
The official further added that to assist crowd control, appropriate width in internal pathways will be preferred, as will adequate height for natural light and ventilation. In addition, suitable drainage systems, ventilation, parking facilities, and garbage chutes will be implemented to improve general functionality and cleanliness. To ensure the quality of perishable commodities, all suburban markets will be permitted to include cold storage facilities for chicken, mutton, and fish.
The official stated that an increase in stall fees and rent was unavoidable. He said that this is a necessary step to generate revenue for the long-term upkeep of these upgraded markets. A strategy will also be developed to rent out extra space created through market reconstruction, which will further help offset future maintenance costs.
Allotment to all vendors or project-affected individuals (PAPs) for these marketplaces would be made possible using an online system, making the process more open and effective.
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