Ramazan model bazaars unlikely to be revamped

LAHORE: Punjab Model Bazaars Management Company (PMBMC) is not likely to complete renovation works on its Ramazan markets before the onset of the holy month, The Express Tribune learnt on Thursday.

Initially, the company was planning to revamp all 27 model markets in various districts of the province, but it was later decided that only the Township Bazaar would be remodeled instead of renovating all of them simultaneously.

PMBMC Chief Operating Officer (COO) Nasir Rafiq said the company recently initiated renovation works in the Township Model Bazaar and the target was to partially complete development works before Ramazan. “We will hand over a portion of the model bazaar to set up the Ramazan bazaar,” he maintained.





Responding to a question, he said the company had recently awarded contracts worth Rs400 million for the development of eight new model bazaars in Sheikhupura, Farooqabad, Gujranwala, Jhelum, Vehari, Lodhran, Jhang and Dina. Initially, the company’s plans were on track, but it was later decided to the test quality of renovation works at township model bazaars.

Once renovation work was completed, the company’s board of directors would examine quality and cost. The COO said if the experiment was successful, the company would initiate renovation works on the remaining 26 model bazaars. If not, a new infrastructure would be built.



The company has floated Rs57 million in tenders during January for the procurement of various supplies and services to revamp these markets. Documents showed the said amount was used to establish missing facilities in all model bazaars of Lahore, including Chung, Shair Shah, Wahdat Colony, Raiwind and Township. Others bazaars of the province were in Toba Tek Singh, Hafizabad, Layyah, Bheera, Khushab, Farooqabad, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Kasur, Gujrat, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Dera Ghazi Khan and Jampur. However, it later limited the scope of the tender to just the Township Model Bazaar.

At the moment, 27 model bazaars were operational across Punjab and the company wanted to open at least one in each district. These model bazaars were established around four to five years ago and were exposed to routine wear and tear. Some infrastructure also been depleted over these years.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2017.