APMC wholesale market gets propped up by iron pillars

The wholesale Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) onion-potato market at Vashi, which has been declared "extremely dangerous" and is long awaiting redevelopment, is now depending on iron rod angles for support.

- G Mohiuddin Jeddy

NAVI MUMBAI: The measure has been taken to prevent a likely catastrophe even as the administration looks for alternative locations to shift the market temporarily and finalize a redevelopment plan.

The APMC administration has begun installing iron pillars adjacent to the dilapidated pillars to support the galas and buildings along with undertaking repair work wherever necessary. The state government, meanwhile, has assured an early decision on redevelopment and declared that it is also working on a Maha Mumbai market that will be "better than any other market in the world".

The redevelopment talks have been ongoing since 2005 without any concrete action being taken. The delay has been blamed on a lack of funds and the demands of the traders with respect to the redevelopment plans. The issue was revived a couple of years ago, and efforts were made to speed up the process.