Pindi settles for makeshift market

Ditches plans to establish state-of-the-art marketplace on 2,000 acres of land

RAWALPINDI:

Having dropped the state-of-the-art project to build Rawalpindi’s first vegetable, fruit and flower market on 2,000 acres of land near Rawat, the district administration has formally established a temporary market on a mere 50 kanal of land.

The market, established on a rented piece of land situated in the Rawat area near Chak Beli Khan Mor in the suburbs of the garrison city, has begun operating regularly.

According to sources, the selling of fresh flowers has stopped in the temporary market. On Thursday, nearby farmers sold their locally grown fruits and vegetables at the newly-establishment market.

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With the establishment of the temporary market, tea stalls, kiosk hotels and illegal stands of taxi and loading vehicles have also sprouted up around it which are disrupting the traffic flow in the area. Moreover, food carts have also begun to operate in the area. From 6am till 11am, farmers sold their produce in the market.

Sources said this temporary market will reduce the cost of vegetables and fruits to the vendors of Rawalpindi city, Cantt and surrounding areas due to lower transportation costs, while the farmers are also given temporary space in the market at a meagre rent.

With the establishment of the new temporary market, the twin cities now have separate markets. The adjacent tehsils of Gujar Khan, Kallar Syedan, Kahuta, Rawalpindi City and Cantt would profit from this fruit and vegetable market. Beginning next week, there will most likely be a decrease in the cost of fruits and vegetables due to the opening of the new market.

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The erstwhile Punjab government had developed a state-of-the-art project for the first-ever vegetable, fruit and flower Market in the garrison city. Former chairman of the District Market Committee, Chaudhary Imtiaz, had also got the funds of Rs200 million released from the Punjab government for the establishment of the new market. Those funds are still lying in the account of the Deputy Commissioner.

The initial project for the new market called for the addition of the newest cold storage, sufficient parking spaces, restrooms, large warehouse-like shops, electricity, water, gas, telephone, banks, ATMs, and mini-dispensary services. However, a temporary market has been established, which is deprived of cold storage facilities and other services.

On Thursday, only a small number of farmers and wholesalers from neighbouring districts brought their produce to the market. This is partly because the market is new and partly because it lacks bulk buyers.

Major traders in Islamabad purchase and resell fruits and vegetables at higher prices to foreign diplomats in shops in the upscale neighbourhoods, and they give a good price to the farmers while the dealers of Rawalpindi pay less.

On the other hand, buyers, dealers, vendors and cart hawkers at the new market welcomed its establishment at the entrance of Rawalpindi City and said the impoverished middle class of the City and Cantt areas will benefit from this.

According to shop owner Ashiq Abbasi, the Rawalpindi farmers will sell inexpensive vegetables at this market. “Additionally, the farmers will save the cost of transportation from Rawalpindi and nearby fields to the Islamabad market,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2023.