Integrated market in Padmanagar remains idle five months after inauguration

Five months after its inauguration, Karimnagar’s integrated market at Padmanagar remains unused due to high rents and location concerns. Vendors fear poor footfall and delayed returns. Similar underutilisation is seen across other smart city markets under development in the town

Karimnagar: The integrated market constructed in Padmanagar locality of Karimnagar town continues to remain non-operational even five months after its inauguration in late January this year.

Despite the allocation of vending platforms and shutters to vendors having been completed, commercial activity is yet to begin. Many vendors are reportedly hesitant to occupy their allotted spaces, citing concerns about customer footfall as the market is located on the town’s outskirts.

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Although several vendors have completed the registration process, they have refrained from starting business operations due to the rental charges of Rs 1,000 per month for a vending platform and Rs 25,000 for a shutter. Fear of incurring rent without guaranteed sales has placed them in a dilemma.

This is not the first time an integrated market in the town has seen such challenges. A similar project at the Shanivaram market within the Rythu Bazar premises is partially occupied, while vegetable stalls are in use, non-vegetarian stalls remain largely vacant.

Constructed at a cost of Rs 13 crore under the Karimnagar Smart City initiative, the Padmanagar market has been developed on a 2.08-acre site. It houses 239 shops in total, including 179 vegetable vending platforms, 32 for meat vendors, and 14 each for fruit and flower sellers.

Besides Padmanagar, three more integrated markets are under development at various locations in the town. One, situated in front of the Collector’s camp office, is also being developed under the Smart City programme, while two others are being executed with funds from the Chief Minister’s Assurance Scheme – all initiated during the previous BRS government.

The market in front of the Collector’s camp office is being constructed on 2.31 acres at a cost of Rs 14.05 crore and will include 347 shops: 228 vegetable, 63 meat, 36 fruit, and 20 flower stalls. Another integrated market is planned at the Kisan Nagar agricultural market.

However, work on the markets at Kashmirgadda and near the Collector’s camp office is progressing at a sluggish pace, raising further concerns about delays in operationalising these civic infrastructure projects.