LAHORE: The Punjab government has allowed the Lahore administration to relocate three markets in the city, preferably to the controlled/project area and Ravi Urban Development Authority (Ruda).

The markets to be shifted in the upcoming months include Badami Bagh vegetable and fruit market, Lohari Gate fish market and the Walled City area’s Rim market.

A state-of-the-art slaughterhouse is also being planned in the same area.

According to official sources, the decision was made during a meeting chaired by Caretaker Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi on Thursday. After the meeting, a follow-up meeting was held by the Lahore commissioner to implement the plan.

During the meeting, officials briefed the caretaker chief minister about the urgent need to shift these markets, as their current locations were causing severe issues related to the environment, cleanliness, traffic congestion, and transportation.

It was unanimously decided to engage all stakeholders for a smooth shifting of these major markets from the city to outside areas. The proposed location of the land to be allocated for this purpose is being kept confidential to prevent landowners from increasing the price value of the land, according to an officer familiar with the discussions.

The Badami Bagh market will be relocated to the project area of Ruda on 300 acres, another official familiar with the commissioner’s meeting held after the meeting.He said, “The new mandi would be equipped with all facilities related to infrastructure, services, etc, such as roads, sewerage, phone, internet, electricity, cold storages, banks, shops, walls, gates, security, truck, van and taxi stands, public transport, roads linking city and suburbs, water, rest and dining rooms, toilets/washrooms, cleanliness staff, police check post, modern auction system, installation of big size screens, corporate offices, bus stop, and many others.”

During the meeting, the Ruda authorities said they would be able to prepare and handover all this to the government in few months, subject to the availability of funds and other kinds of support from the government and various stakeholders.

About the fish market, he said the land being proposed for this purpose will preferably be adjacent to the vegetable market. Similarly, the land for Rim market is also being proposed nearby the aforementioned two markets. “Likewise, the land for the slaughterhouse would also be allocated to these places. You can say that it would be a big complex having all these three markets and slaughterhouse adjacent to each other or at least nearby to each other,” the official said.

He said the management of the vegetable and fish markets would be in the hands of the Punjab Agriculture Market Regulatory Authority and the Industries Department. Ruda may also construct cold storages and other facilities under a public-private partnership or under a revenue-sharing model.

The official said during the meeting, it was claimed that if vegetable and fish markets are shifted outside the city, the total business volume may increase to Rs100 billion or so per annum.

He said the commission agents would be allotted offices/shops on paying 20 percent of the total cost of the developed land.

He said the people associated with business in the fish market are agreed on shifting the market. But they demand that the area of the land be vast, linking the city and adjoining areas without any hurdle.

“The issue exists on the part of the people doing businesses in Rim Market, as they don’t want to shift them to a new place. They all are doing business on state land, adjacent to the Lahore Fort. This market is also becoming a major hazard in the way of activities related to the conservation of the Lahore Walled City,” he explained.

The official said the officers have been entrusted with the task to convince the Rim market business community by fulfilling their genuine/viable demands so as to shift this market outside the city without any problem.

“Hope, they (the Rim market traders, shopkeepers) will agree soon,” the official added.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2023