New Palayam Market: Voting begins

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Quite a few people trooped to the Connemara Market, Palayam, on Wednesday to vote and choose the best among four models for a proposed new market complex, but shop owners here were apprehensive about the Corporation initiative as they fear they could lose their prized space in the city centre.Ranging from government officials to fish merchants, people  religiously cast their vote at the pavilion set up at the entrance of the Connemara Market. The four designs by four architects that are entirely different from each other in their architecture and sophisticated facilities were displayed at the pavilion. It could be the first time in the state where a local body has sought the opinion of the people before choosing a model for a project. “People are enthusiastically  participating in the voting system for the renovation of the Connemara  Market. I am also going to vote in the evening,” beamed project adviser Sasi Kumar. The students from the nearby colleges, including the University College, have been sparing time to cast their votes for the best design. They could be seen dropping in, in big numbers, during the day at the pavilion. “We hail the move. The Corporation is asking our opinion and we are ready to offer it,’’ said an excited Afsal P K, an MBA student in the Institute of Management in Kerala (IMK).  Not just the students, but senior citizens are also trooping in. “This is the first time I am experiencing the meaning of the word democracy. It’s good that the Corporation wants to know our choice on how the market complex should be,” says Vijayakumar R, a businessman at Palayam. However, the shop owners at Connemara market do not share the enthusiasm. Instead, they are rocked by the fear of having to evacuate pretty soon. They are afraid of losing their shops, which are in the heart of the city. J Mohanan, a shop owner at the market, says that, “Corporation has not made it clear where they are shifting us to at the time of the renovation. If the Corporation promises to give us a working space in the new market, then only will we agree to shift temporarily to the other space.”Fish merchants and vegetable vendors in the market are also in the same dilemma. “Once the new building is erected, the area will be declared as a high security zone and we will be driven out by the government,” Rita, a fish merchant, echoes her concern.The Corporation will, however, go ahead with the voting for six more days. It is with the support of INKEL and TRIDA that the market complex is being planned. People can cast their votes at the pavilion till September 4. They can also click their choice by logging on to the website www.inkel.in.