Amit Halder
Port Blair, July 27: Though the Municipal Council secured approval for reconstruction of the prime Gandhi Market after years of official correspondences, shopkeepers of the Market have started objecting to the rebuilding claiming a flawed plan. Shopkeepers of Gandhi Market kept their shutters down on last Friday as a token protest against the move.
According to reports, the shopkeepers claim that the reconstruction plan of Gandhi Market has no provision for wider path to enable bigger vehicles to enter the complex. Speaking to Andaman Sheekha, a shopkeeper of Gandhi Market claimed that if the new construction plan is allowed, the existing footpath will be narrowed further. In the event of any fire accident, fire tenders and ambulances will not be able to enter the complex thus causing havoc in the market place. “Fire accidents have been reported on atleast 3 to 4 occasions in the past and the need for atleast 6 mtr of footpath is absolutely necessary to secure the prominent market complex in the city. The Municipal Council should accede to our demands and amend the building plan to facilitate approach of emergency vehicles to the complex in the interest of the shopkeepers and the public,” the shopkeeper said.
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