Gani Textile Market complex remains idle for 7 months

The CM MK Stalin declared open a 4 storied new complex for Gani Textile Market, constructed at a cost of Rs 60 cr under the Smart City project by Erode Corporation, on August 26 last year. But, it remained idle without allotment of shops to the traders.

Former chairman of the corporation Abdul Gani donated the land for the market so that it was named after him. In the market, located near SP office for the past 40 years, nearly 230 daily and 720 weekly shops functioned. But, once the work on construction of new complex began 4 years back, the daily traders were shifted to nearby places.

Resistance from traders

The officials promised to give shops to the already existed traders of the area, who were paying a rent of Rs 1000-1500 per month, in the new complex having 292 shops, escalator and lift facilities. But, once the complex was declared open, the corporation issued notice to auction the shop with fixing Rs 8 lakh advance for for the shops in the I floor, Rs 6 lakh in the second floor and Rs 4 lakh in the 2nd floor with fixing minimum rent of Rs 31500 per shop. Following strong resistance from traders, the auction was postponed.

They demanded the advance norm should be cancelled and the rent should be reduced to Rs 8000, 5000 and 4000 for the ground, I and 2nd floor respectively as most of them were small traders in the market. The traders association functionaries Noor Sait and Selvaraj said ''If the rent and deposit are high, the cost of textiles would rise affecting the interest of the people much. They visited from areas to buy various kind of textile goods coming from various parts of the nation only because of low price in the market. In this regard we have given petitions to the ministers, MLAs, mayor, and officials,'' they said.