Condition of new Urwa Market complex hangs in balance

Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) appears to prepare the ground to outsource the management and maintenance of the newly constructed market complex at Urwa Market.

The new market complex inaugurated on January 27, 2019 was built by Mangalore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) at a total cost of nearly Rs 13 crore on land owned by MCC. According to sources, MUDA had raised a loan to complete the work.

Surprising as it may seem, MUDA and MCC had not paid much attention to who would manage and maintain the market building. The building was unoccupied for a year, the new ceiling fans were missing recently.

RTI activist Hanumanta Kamath told DH that the new market complex had become a haven for alcoholics. A vendor in the old Urwa Market says with frustration that the wait for allocation of stalls seems unending.

Cost-benefit analysis

With both MCC and MUDA being starved of funds, there are talks on outsourcing the maintenance of the market.

MCC Commissioner Ajith Hegde Shanadi told DH that he has plans to carry out a cost-benefit analysis of the new market complex with help of experts. The cost-benefit analysis would project the revenue generated by the new market and if it would be viable for the MCC to maintain the building.

Mangaluru South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath blamed the Congress for the confusion with the market project. “The building was inaugurated in a hurry even before works were completed,” he added.

Kamath informed that he had suggested the MCC to avail loans from the ADB to undertake the maintenance of the new Urwa Market complex.

“A final decision on the market complex will be taken by the new City Corporation council, which is yet to be formed,” the legislator added.