Temporary sheds soon for Thakaraparambu traders

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Putting an end to the confusion regarding the rehabilitation of around 60 traders in Thakaraparambu, Transport Minister V S Sivakumar has declared temporary rehabilitation for the traders. The temporary sheds will be constructed on the Corporation road in front of the Central theatre. As many as 70 shops will be set up there. Vehicular traffic will not be allowed in this area. The decision came following the discussions with representatives of the traders’ association the other day. The temporary sheds will be completed in one-and-a-half months.The temporary arrangement is being made till the completion of the shopping complex at Attakulangara. The government is planning to arrange permanent shops for the traders at the shopping complex planned by TRIDA on the compound of the Government Central High School in Attakulangara. The new bus stand too will come up on the compound. The TRIDA has asked for a time of one year after land acquisition for the completion of the project, which is expected to ease the traffic congestion in the East Fort area. Meanwhile, some of the traders have expressed displeasure over the area allocated for the temporary arrangement. “There is no access to the vehicular traffic. It will adversely affect a group of traders, including some chemical traders. However, we had to accept the conditions. The authorities must complete the works on time, otherwise the traders would have to bear the burnt,” a trader said.  “Also, the new government has no interest in the case against land grabbing by Big Bazaar, where the permanent rehabilitation was originally planned,” he added.Transport Minister held talks with traders after a meeting which discussed various development issues of the city. Mayor K Chandrika, ADM Mohammed Mustafa, representatives of traders T S Rajagopalan Nair, A Anoop, S Chandrababu and P Ravikumar, members of the Traffic Advisory Committee Chala Sudhakaran, Kottaikakom Sivan, C Jyothish Kumar and Pattom Sasidharan, Kerala Road Fund Board official P Madhavan Nair, City Police Assistant Commissioner P Mohanan and Corporation executive engineer V Anandaraju, among others, attended the function.