E-Paper
Chandigarh accelerates shift of Marble Market to Sector 56
Given that the proposed built-up area of the new market exceeds 20,000 square metres, environmental clearance has become mandatory. In addition, the administration plans to cut down nearly 339 trees — including 34 dried-up ones — before the site allotments begin.
Moving ahead with the long-awaited relocation of the Marble Market from Dhanas to the upcoming Bulk Material Market in Sector 56 (West), the UT administration has hired a consultant to prepare a detailed project report, while another has been appointed to obtain the necessary environmental and eco-sensitive clearances.
Deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav confirmed that clearances are expected to be obtained within two months. “The consultant has been hired, and we have directed him to secure all the required approvals within the stipulated time. Meanwhile, we will finalise the pricing and complete the auction formalities. We are hopeful of conducting the auction by the end of October this year,” he said.
Given that the proposed built-up area of the new market exceeds 20,000 square metres, environmental clearance has become mandatory. In addition, the administration plans to cut down nearly 339 trees — including 34 dried-up ones — before the site allotments begin.
To this end, the UT estate office has invited bids through e-tendering for hiring an environmental consultant. Interested agencies must submit their bids by 10 am on July 30. The technical bids will be opened at 10:15 am the same day, while the date for opening financial bids will be announced later.
The Bulk Material Market, designed as a state-of-the-art facility, is being developed at an estimated cost of ₹20 crore and spans 44 acres. It will house 191 plots measuring one kanal each, along with 48 booth sites. Construction regulations permit a basement and three floors on each one-kanal plot. While initially, the plan was to only relocate marble traders from Dhanas, the administration has now opened the opportunity for shopkeepers from the recently demolished furniture market to also participate in the open auction.
Construction nearing completion
The UT engineering department has set a deadline of September 30 to complete the ongoing construction. Core infrastructure — including a dedicated road network, water supply, sewerage, stormwater drains, a power sub-station, street lighting, and green belts — has already been laid. Only two internal roads remain to be completed. The market will also include well-planned parking lots, public utilities, and a commercial area, ensuring comprehensive facilities for both shop owners and visitors.
Anand Gupta, president of the marble traders’ welfare association, said, “We request the authorities to complete the work as early as possible. We have already given an undertaking to the UT administration that, once the development is complete, we will immediately shift.”
In 2022, the members of the Marble Traders Welfare Association moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, demanding relocation. The then SDM (Central) stated that the market was operating in violation of the provisions of The Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, 1952. Following the court’s directions, a plan was devised to shift the market to another location. In 2016 and 2018, the administration conducted physical surveys of the existing marble market in Dhanas and found 182 marble shops and 20 shops of miscellaneous nature. Based on these numbers, 191 plots have been identified in the newly proposed market.
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Currently operating on leased land
The marble market initially came up in 1982 in Sector 51. In the 1990s, it was shifted to Sector 52 along the road. Later, in 2004-05, trading moved to both sides of Milk Colony Road, leading to Mullanpur (Punjab) in the periphery area of villages Dadumajra, Dhanas, and Sarangpur. The land on which they are currently operating is owned by landlords and has been taken on lease. The total area is around 80 acres.
