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PMC to acquire land from district admin for shifting timber market
Directives have also been issued to the collector and municipal commissioner to provide assistance to all the traders affected by the fire
After a fire recently gutted seven to eight godowns and four warehouses at the Bhavani Peth timber market, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to acquire land from the Pune district administration near the proposed Ring Road for shifting of the timber market from its existing location. Directives have also been issued to the collector and municipal commissioner to provide assistance to all the traders affected by the fire.
On Monday, municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar, said, “It is necessary to shift the highly inflammable timber market from the city area. We have decided to take land from the Pune district administration along the proposed Ring Road. After that, we will discuss with the timber traders and the association and finalise the land and send the proposal to the state government.”
Leader of the opposition, Ajit Pawar, raised the issue of the blaze after which the timber traders met Pune district guardian minister, Chandrakant Patil, regarding shifting of the timber market to a safe place near the proposed Ring Road. Pawar said that Pune’s timber market was known for its high-quality timber and witnessed constant flow of traffic. While there were plans to relocate the market a few years ago, they could not be implemented due to certain reasons. However, the area residents and traders should now come forward with suggestions regarding where the market should be relocated and that definite efforts will be made to address their demands, Pawar said. He emphasised that the fire incident should not be politicised and that the traders had previously expressed concerns over the possibility of such accidents taking place. Hence, it is essential for the police to investigate the matter thoroughly and determine how the affected individuals can rebuild their businesses and homes. Special efforts should be taken to support them during this challenging time, Pawar said.
Ratan Kiran, president of the Pune Timber Market Association, said, “For the last two years, we have been demanding land near the proposed Ring Road. We had met the then deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar for the same purpose and he had given a positive response. However, the government has changed so we have urged chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to allot land near the Ring Road at concessional rates.”
“We need around 40 acres of land so that we can allot 5,000 square feet to each trader to set up his business. The government should give us land on a 99-year lease basis and provide all basic facilities to set up business there,” Kiran said.
Recently, seven to eight godowns and four storehouses were charred in a fire that erupted at the Bhavani Peth timber market. The market is spread across 10 acres of land. The PMC had allotted this land for the timber market in 1960. At the time, the PMC had allotted 128 plots to the traders however there are now over 300 traders doing business at the timber market.
