Valparai Municipality Council Approves Rs 2.5 Crore Development Works; Old Market Set for Major Overhaul

Coimbatore: The Valparai Municipality Council has approved development works worth Rs 2.5 crore across its 21 wards, with major discussions also held on the long-pending redevelopment of the old municipal market.

The meeting, held on Friday, was chaired by Municipal Commissioner Venkataraman, with Municipal Chairperson Alagu Sundara Valli, Vice-Chairperson Senthil and councillors representing all 21 wards participating.

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During the meeting, councillors raised several civic issues, including road maintenance, streetlight upgrades and the proposed redevelopment of the old municipal market.

Councillors urged the municipality to permit the use of Anna Thidal in Valparai for cultural programmes organised in connection with the Subramaniya Swamy Temple. They also insisted that car parking facilities should not be allowed at the venue.

They sought proper maintenance of roads in Valparai town and the estate areas. They also requested that existing 25-watt and 50-watt streetlights in estate areas across the 21 wards be replaced with 90-watt lights. Citing the increasing movement of elephants, leopards and bears in residential areas, the councillors urged the municipality to take immediate steps to improve street lighting and ensure public safety.

Speaking about the proposed redevelopment of the old municipal market, Commissioner Venkataraman said demolishing the existing building and constructing a new commercial complex was the only viable solution, considering its dilapidated condition and alleged irregularities in the functioning of the marketplace.

He pointed out that out of more than 320 shops in the market, only 44 people had legitimate ownership rights, while several others were allegedly operating without proper ownership or had rented out their shops to outsiders. He said those benefiting from the existing arrangement were opposing the proposed demolition and reconstruction.

The Commissioner also highlighted that officials had faced protests when they visited the market to conduct soil tests as part of the proposed redevelopment process. He said the existing system, under which the same individuals had reportedly been securing tenders for several decades, needed to be changed.

He added that discussions had been held with the appropriate officials and that a meeting with the District Collector would be convened to expedite the process amicably. The municipality proposed demolishing the existing structure, constructing a new marketplace and inviting fresh tenders to allot shops to eligible applicants through a transparent process.