Even as the pandemic situation continues to hamper regular livelihoods of people, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), forsaking all humane responsibilities, has raised the rents of the municipal markets of Guwahati manifold.
Guwahati has a total of 12 municipal markets. Out of these, the monthly rent of 10 markets has been increased from the earlier Rs. 4.50 - Rs. 5 per sq ft to Rs. 12 - Rs. 38 per sq ft.
The order was passed on 21st July, 2020 and the new rates came into effect from 1st August, 2020. The irked market committees have expressed their infuriation against the exorbitant rates.
Speaking exclusively to G Plus, Pabitra Sarma, President of Guwahati Municipal Corporation Market Central Committee (GMCMCC), the umbrella body comprising all twelve markets of Guwahati said, “Despite the lockdown and breaking all protocol of Covid that do not allow social gathering, the GMC commissioner held a meeting with us (the GMCMCC members) on 27th May last. There we were first told about a possible increase in rent. We countered that by saying that while the government is asking to help tenants by waiving off rent during the pandemic crisis, a government body like the GMC is seeking to raise the rent.”
“We asked them to defer one year’s rent or to give us a loan of Rs. 1 lakh. The commissioner agreed for another round of talks with us. But on 21st July, without any talks or discussions, the new order was passed,” he added.
The order mentioned citied that as revenue collection of GMC has almost come to a halt from the month of April hampering the Corporation’s duties towards citizens, GMC “is compelled to revisit its source of revenue and make appropriate revisions. To tackle the present financial situation, improvement in revenue collection has become necessary for GMC.” The order further mentioned that “there has been no revision of the monthly rent of all the markets under GMC for more than one decade.”
“We have also suffered equally during the crisis. In fact, during the initial unlocking period, while the other shops and vendors were permitted to reopen, the GMC markets were asked to remain close. We lost more days in this lockdown than the regular stores. Who will care for our families and survival?” said Bhairav Kalita, Secretary of the GMC Ganeshguri Market Committee.
Speaking about development of the markets, Pabitra Sarma added, “In most of the markets, the shop owners had to pay for necessary repairing. The Dispur Supermarket complex was established around 1973. Since then, not even the minimal repairing work has been undertaken by GMC.”
Tenants of Ganeshguri GMC market left without a proper shop
The construction of the municipal market at Ganeshguri started in 2015. Prior to that, the shops were vacated. Ever since, while most of the shops owners haven’t set up shop again, the remaining few are earning from makeshift kiosks.
A minimal few, mostly grocery stores, have been given a temporary place under the roof of the newly constructed building. However, most continue to pay rent as irregularities in payment might lead to the cancellation of their trade licenses.
“My father first set up shop here around 1989. After that, I and my brothers are running this business. We have three rooms registered for our grocery shop. But now they have given me this makeshift space which is not even enough to keep all our goods. We don’t know how many big rooms will be allotted to us in the new building. So on what basis is the rent calculated? I haven’t paid the rent for a couple of months, but the collector keeps coming. I have to keep paying for all the three rooms,” said Suraj Shah, proprietor of Bhola Bhandar.
Another shop owner, Jai Narayan said, “My shop is amongst the oldest. When I first set up shop, I cleared the jungle around here myself and made the room at my own cost. Now they have given me less than half the space but I have to pay rent for the two full big rooms that I initially had.”
As per the secretary of the Ganeshguri Market Committee, Bhairav Kalita, when the shops were demolished for the new construction, the then commissioner of GMC had assured that no rent will have to be paid until allotments in the new building were made. “The market committee then did not take any written undertaking. As such, GMC could easily change their stance and we were compelled to continue paying our rents, although most of us do not even have a running business now. Only about 60 people were allotted makeshift spaces. Even then they are functioning just like street vendors.”
Construction of 4 GMC markets continues to stall
The construction of four GMC market complexes, Ganeshguri, Ulubari, Fatasil and Rupnagar were to start simultaneously in 2015. While the construction of the Rupnagar and Fatasil market complexes never started due to land disputes and court cases by the local vendors’ associations who’ve opposed the decision to relocate, the construction of the remaining two have remained stalled for the past two years.
“The work on the new building was scheduled to start in 2011-12. Then the fund provided was Rs. 1 crore 93 lakhs. But the actual work started around 2017-18. Reportedly, there were some irregularities or changes in the funds then. We were told that only Rs. 7 lakhs of that amount is left. But another 30 percent of the work is left for which Rs. 60-70 lakhs is needed. So the constructions were stopped. GMC informed that work will restart now. Our market is constructed by Pooja Associates of Christian Basti,” said Bhairav Kalita.
There are also other flaws in this building, he continued, “Firstly, we had around 280 shops in the old establishment. The new structure can accommodate around 60. What will happen to the others? Secondly, there is no proper staircase. There is just a ramp, that too from the back. We cannot expect customers to climb two floors. Naturally, customer footfall will drop. Also, the centre of the building is open without a roof. During the rainy season the ground will turn into a drain.”
Pawan Mahanta, Project Engineer of Pooja Associates Contracts Division said, “We have got a letter recently from GMC asking us to restart construction. So we will resume work within a few days. We also had an issue with bill clearance but even then we will follow orders and continue with work.”
Mahanta confirmed that there is no provision of staircase in the complex and only a ramp is provided.
Reportedly, even the Ulubari market complex had completed 70% construction by 2017 but the work was going on at a very slow space. GMC had expelled the contractor for substandard work and has also taken action against him.
However, the rent of the following two markets have not been increased-
1. Whole-sale fish Market at Betkuchi.
2. Bamboo Market at Santipur and Bhootnath.