KOHAT, Dec 23: Wholesale dealers in fruit and vegetable trade here have refused to shift to the newly-constructed market, saying it does not provide the promised facilities and have demanded return of their money.

At the time of launch of the project of new market near the new bus stand in 2008, the tehsil municipal administration had promised the traders to provide six cold storages, 107 shops, a bank branch, hotel, police checkpost, bank guarantee and other facilities. However, the traders say that most of the facilities, also mentioned in the PC-1 of the project, have not been provided now while the administration is asking them to shift to the new market.

Wishing anonymity, the dealers told this correspondent that the tehsil municipal officer (TMO) had issued notices to all of them to immediately shift their businesses to the new market otherwise legal action would be taken against them. Interestingly, notices have also been issued to 34 owners construction of whose shops had not been completed even after passage of two and half years.

These traders said that they would shift to the new market, but the TMA should first provide the promised facilities besides completing construction of the shops.

They alleged that the district administration had inaugurated the market three times when a private market owner moved the court for a permission to operate a similar facility in Kohat. The TMA had told the court that two markets could not operate in one district.

The traders said that the DCO was hesitant to ask the contractor to complete the market or recover money from him.

The traders were not ready to abandon their established wholesale business at the old muddy market on Hangu road in the city. They were demanding construction of the new market close to the city because the Bannu road market would cause enormous rise in goods transportation charges which had to be transferred to the consumers.

When contacted, a TMA official opting anonymity said that the project was handed over to a contractor from Punjab on build, operate and transfer basis. The work started on July 7, 2008 and the market was to be completed within one year. The contractor was given three months extension for the project completion and the dealers bought shops and deposited the money in 2009.

The traders said that now the contractor was taking the plea that he had suffered huge losses in some projects in Kohat and they should contact the TMA for payment or completion of the market. On the other hand, the TMA had been issuing warning letters to the dealers to shift their businesses to the new market.

The traders have appealed to the chief minister to take notice of the issue and direct the officials to return their money or complete the market according to the terms of contract.