RAWALPINDI: Traders are divided over the provincial government’s plan to shift the wholesale markets from Raja Bazaar to outside the city.

The Punjab government has planned to relocate the over 120-year-old wholesale markets to ease traffic congestion in the city areas. But most of the traders warned of an agitation if the government went ahead with the plan.

However, the grain market traders are willing to move out if the government provides them land to set up their godowns and with outlets there.

To shift the wholesale markets, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif formed a committee under the chairmanship of former MNA Hanif Abbasi with the Rawalpindi commissioner, secretaries of agriculture and revenue departments as its members.

The committee approached the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) to conduct a survey of the wholesale markets so that land could be procured and facilities such as roads and other infrastructure constructed.

When contacted, Mr Abbasi told Dawn that the provincial government wanted to relocate the main markets from Raja Bazaar to overcome the traffic problems in the city. He said the RCCI was given the task to conduct a survey of the traders in the wholesale markets.

Punjab govt wants to shift markets from Raja Bazaar to out of city to ease traffic congestions

The former PML-N lawmaker said some wholesale dealers did not want to shift outside the city but “we involved the RCCI to convince all the traders so that land could be acquired. The government would help them in this process,” he added.

Shamoon Kiani, the president of the grain wholesale dealers association, told Dawn that it was basically a demand of the grain dealers to relocate the wholesale market as they faced problems in transporting goods to northern areas, Kashmir as well as within the city due to the traffic congestion.

“We are ready to move out but the government should first procure a piece of land and develop the necessary infrastructure there.” He said about 2,700 kanals would be needed for the construction of a grain market alone.

It is not possible for the traders to pay for the land before the development of the infrastructure there.

“Yes, we are ready to go outside as it will suit the wholesale dealers to transport their goods to other parts of the city. Trucks and heavy vehicles are allowed to enter the city areas or the grain market only between 11pm and 7am,” he said.

Sharjeel Mir, the president of the Rawalpindi traders association, added that cloth and garment traders as well as fruit and vegetable sellers were against the plan as it was not possible for them to shift outside the city.

“Who will go to purchase these items outside the city? In the city areas, traders have been working for decades and it would be difficult for them to move out.”

He said traders were of the view that their shops in the city areas valued more than Rs10 million to Rs15 million each and it was not possible for them to leave the shops behind and start business outside the city.

“Even if the wholesale market is established outside the city, the traders will not leave their shops in Raja Bazaar, they will only set up godowns outside the city,” he said.

Qadir Mir of the fruit and vegetable market told Dawn that vegetable traders would face financial problems if they were shifted outside the city. “In the city, local residents purchase vegetables and fruits but they would not be able to do so if the market is shifted out of the city,” he said.  

Some other traders were of the view that the relocation of the wholesale markets would not serve its purpose of overcoming the traffic problems as the traders would not leave their shops and godowns in the city areas.

They said the government should relocate the small industrial units out of the city instead of the markets and bazaars. They said in every residential area, there were small industrial units of plastic, chemicals and furniture shops.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2015