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Congestion chokes Pune’s iconic Market Yard at Gultekdi; to be shifted outside city limits
This plan is being proposed so as to build a new market as the existing Market Yard at Gultekdi is very congested. The relocation may be near the proposed ring road project or PMRDA will put a reservation on a decided plot so as to solely build the Market Yard at the spot.
Almost 40 years after it was established, efforts are now being made to shift Market Yard outside Pune city limits. According to officials, Pune metropolitan region development authority (PMRDA) has decided to allocate 400 acres to the agricultural produce market committee (APMC), Pune, for relocation.
This plan is being proposed so as to build a new market as the existing Market Yard at Gultekdi is very congested. The relocation may be near the proposed ring road project or PMRDA will put a reservation on a decided plot so as to solely build the Market Yard at the spot.
Kiran Gitte, metropolitan commissioner (PMRDA), said, “Yes, we have received a demand letter from the APMC and we are looking for possible options available. Either, we will provide land for the new Market Yard near the proposed ring road or we will put reservation on land.” According to Gitte, the entire process will be finalised within the next six months.
According to PMRDA officials, they are working on the proposal received from the APMC. As of now availability of land near Pune-Solapur road and Paud road is under consideration, said Gitte.
According to BJ Deshmukh, administrator of APMC, Pune, the APMC recently conducted a structural audit of the area and found that almost all shops needed repairs. “It needs huge amount of fund and shop owners are not ready to pay for it. Secondly, existing space is not enough and traffic congestion has grown. Hence, we have asked for 400 acres keeping in mind traffic and arrival of vegetables for the next 80-90 years,” said Deshmukh.
It was in 1980, when the then chief minister Sharad Pawar shifted the APMC market from mandai in Budhwar peth to the existing Market Yard at Gultekdi. It is spread over 275 acres with around 1,800 shops, which also includes the adjacent flower market and cattle market.
Over the years, vegetables from neighbouring districts such as Satara, Sangli, Solapur and other states including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka arrive at the Market Yard from where small vegetable vendors bring it to various areas for sale.
As of now Gultekdi market consists of 60 shops of banana traders, 51 shops of betel leaf traders, 724 shops dedicated for cereal traders and jaggery, 92 shops for flower traders and 914 shops for fruits and vegetables. However, these traders are not ready to contribute for repair and maintenance of the existing structure of the Market Yard. APMC Pune witnesses arrival of around 400 vehicles on a daily basis. APMC officials informed that on an average 4,800 quintals of agricultural produce arrive daily.
In 2007-08, a proposal of expansion of the Market Yard was being discussed by APMC, which had sought land in Pimpri Sandas village in Haveli tehsil, however, because of forest land restriction it was not forwarded. Now, after the structural audit of APMC, the issue of expansion has again come into the limelight and this time, PMRDA gave a positive reply to the proposal submitted by APMC Pune.
