South India's first Airconditioned underground market opened to public
27 Aug 2024 5:37 PM IST
South India's first Airconditioned underground market opened to the public in Bengaluru (Image/X)
Bengaluru: Palike Bazaar, the first underground air-conditioned market of Bengaluru. It is also the south India's first underground market. It is the second such market after the Palika Bazaar in Delhi.
It is located in Vijayanagar, adjacent to the Metro station and the bus stand.
On Sunday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Vijayanagar MLA M Krishnappa inaugurated the Rs 13-crore "Palike Bazaar" for the public.
This market has central air conditioning, and apart from that, the 31 shops have their separate air-conditioning as well.
The 31 shops have their separate air conditioning units in addition to the central air conditioning throughout the market. Approximately nine square meters are allotted to each store.
This project was taken by a private company, called Parichita Constructions.
For the project, the BBMP allotted Rs 5 crore in 2017-2018 and released an additional Rs 8 crore in 2021–22.
The 40-store project's first phase was finished in 2022, but the BBMP chose to focus on the second phase, which included obstructing the first phase's entrance, instead of opening the first phase.
The 40-store project's first phase was finished in 2022, but the BBMP chose to focus on the second phase, which included obstructing the first phase's entrance, instead of opening the first phase.
There are eight entrances, 145 lights, two escalators, and one lift in the Palike Bazaar. Additionally, a power transformer and fire extinguishers have been installed. The initiative will benefit the locals as street shopping is popular in the area.
Krishnappa said that after seeing Delhi's Palika Bazaar, he decided to construct the air-conditioned market.
He also said, "After the high court order, many vegetable vendors, who used to put up temporary shops on Chord Road, shifted to this place in Vijayanagar. This angered traders here as they had spent a lot of money to get trade licenses and were paying rent. There was also a complaint from pedestrians as roads were occupied by street vendors. This underground market has been conceptualized to help everyone."
Siddaramaiah gave Krishnappa credit with the project and to relieve traffic on the surface of the road, he proposed that similar underground markets be constructed in other areas of Bengaluru.
He said that the people will benefit from the Vijayanagar market because there is a bus stop and metro station close by.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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