Chandigarh administration allows furniture traders to bid for Sector 56 site
Initially, only traders from the Dhanas marble market were to be relocated to Sector 56. The Sector 56 site is spread over approximately 44 acres, having 200 one-kanal plots, and 48 booths. As per the plan, basic infrastructure, including a dedicated road network, water supply, sewer and stormwater drainage, a power sub-station, streetlights, and green spaces, will be developed here before the marble and furniture markets are shifted.
The UT administration has decided to allow furniture traders from Sectors 53 and 54 to participate in the auction for booths at the Sector 56 Bulk Material Market, where the marble market from Dhanas is being shifted.
This comes in response to the furniture traders’ plea for an alternative site after they were served eviction notices over illegal occupation of government land.
Initially, only traders from the Dhanas marble market were to be relocated to Sector 56.
UT estate officer-cum-deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav, said, “The auction is open to all traders, regardless of their sector. Earlier, we had planned to shift only the marble market, but now traders from the furniture market and other sectors can also participate. The auction will be held within a month.”
The Sector 56 site is spread over approximately 44 acres, having 200 one-kanal plots, and 48 booths. As per the plan, basic infrastructure, including a dedicated road network, water supply, sewer and stormwater drainage, a power sub-station, streetlights, and green spaces, will be developed here before the marble and furniture markets are shifted.
This will be followed by the demolition of the two illegal markets.
The decision to relocate the marble market was made following a directive from the Punjab and Haryana high court in 2022, on a plea by the marble traders’ association. The then SDM (Central) had said that the Dhanas market was operating in violation of The Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, 1952.
352 full-grown trees to be cut for Sector 56 market
The relocation of the Dhanas marble market and the furniture market to Sector 56 will come at an environmental cost as the UT engineering department has sought permission to cut 352 full-grown trees at the new site. Approval for tree removal is still awaited.