Providing relief: For Ramazan, 31 makeshift bazaars in the offing

Mayor says citizens will get essential commodities at subsidised rates.

LAHORE: The City District Government Lahore (CDGL) will set up 31 bazaars to provide basic commodities, food items and dates to citizens at subsidised rates during the holy month of Ramazan.

The orders came on Thursday from Lahore Mayor Col (retd) Mubashir Javed, who also directed market committees to finalise arrangements for supplying quality fruit and vegetables at these makeshift markets.

“The government has resolved to facilitate citizens by ensuring better arrangements at bazaars and provision of essential commodities at subsidised rates,” he said.

While talking to The Express Tribune, Punjab Model Bazaars Management Company (PMBMC) Chief Operating Officer Nasir Rafiq said the company had started maintenance and development works at the existing model bazaars across the province.

Maintenance works at Mian Plaza, Johar Town and Township model bazaars have been completed while work at Sheikhupura and Farooqabad model bazaars is underway. The company has also floated tenders for setting up six new model bazaars in Chakwal, Dina, Jhelum, Vehari, Lodhran and Jhang.



After the bidding process, the company would start development works before Ramazan, Nasir said. The last date for submission of tenders is April 25.

Replying to a question, he said that sites had been allotted to set up new Ramazan bazaars and the company had received no-objection certificates (NOCs) from the relevant deputy commissioner.

Earlier the PMBMC had floated tenders to revamp 27 model bazaars in various districts of the province in January but failed to get attract suitable investors. There are 27 model bazaars in the province that were completed about five years ago.

The Punjab government has a tradition of setting up around 300 Ramazan and model bazaars across the province to ensure provision of essential commodities at relatively concessionary rates in the month of fasting.

According to official documents, the company has floated a tender of Rs57 million for procurement of various supplies and services to revamp the existing model bazaars, including green net worth Rs20 million, waste bins with plastic bags, garbage containers and handcarts worth Rs11 million, shopping trolleys worth Rs8 million, benches worth Rs5 million, water coolers with filters worth Rs5 million, ceiling fans worth Rs3 million and various kinds of plants worth Rs2 million.

The company also wanted to acquire third-party security services for model bazaars at an estimated cost of Rs3 million. The documents stated the amount would be used for the provision of missing or faulty facilities at all model bazaars of Hafizabad, Layyah, Bheera, Khushab, Farooqabad, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Kasur, Gujrat, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Dera Ghazi Khan, Jampur and Lahore, including Chung, Shair Shah, Wahdat Colony, Raiwind and Toba Tek Singh.

The company has advised prospective bidders to visit model bazaars and inspect sites before submitting their bids. The successful bidders have to complete assigned jobs within 20 days after the issuance of the work order otherwise they would have to face a 10% penalty of the order price.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 14^th, 2017.