The Hindu : BMP defers decision on Madivala market

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 28, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

BMP defers decision on Madivala market

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE April 27. The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) Council on Saturday deferred its decision to sell Madivala Market complex to private parties.

While Sudhamanagar (the area under which the complex is located) corporator, T.V.Prabhu, wanted the BMP to allot two rooms in the complex for conducting tailoring classes, the officers wanted to sell the entire building to a single organisation. Unable to arrive at a consensus, the Council postponed the decision to next week.

The Commissioner of BMP, M.R.Sreenivas Murthy, informed the Council that the Excise Department had come forward to buy the complex. The Mayor, C.M.Nagaraj, said he was not sure whether the buyer would be ready to part with two rooms for the tailoring centre.

All efforts to convince Mr. Prabhu that an alternative place would be identified for the tailoring centre were in vain. Finally, the Mayor said the subject could be deferred to Monday.

The Madivala market complex that has been constructed in phases since 1992 has remained unoccupied till date. The complex was first tendered in 1987-88 and Munivenkatappa and Sons were entrusted the contract to construct the ground and first floors. Work began in 1990 and was completed in 1992.

In 1993, second phase of the complex was tendered to the same company for construction of an additional floor. The complex housing 114 shops and 26 offices was completed in 1994.

Later, in 1996, the Government approved construction of five more floors under the Mega City project. But the Fire Department refused approval for the construction till the slums surrounding the complex were cleared. This resulted in a two-year delay in completion of the entire project.

Now, the BMP hopes to collect over Rs 40 crore from the sale of building besides earning a fair amount of property tax after the sale. The BMP has spent over Rs. 50 crore on the construction.

The BMP Council is expected to take a final decision in this regard on Monday.

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