The relocation of all 528 stalls at Kolkata’s Maidan Market, also known as BC Roy Market, has cleared a key logistical hurdle for construction of the Purple Line’s Esplanade station, although traders say some promised amenities at the temporary facility are still incomplete.
The market’s stalls were shifted from the old structure on defence land to a new facility built to the south after a process that began more than three-and-a-half years ago. The relocation was required to make space for the underground metro station planned as part of the Purple Line.
“For construction of the Esplanade metro station, temporary shifting of unauthorised 528 shops at BC Roy Market on defence land was required. The proposal for NOC of temporary shifting of market was submitted in Feb, 2022,” a Press Information Bureau release said.
A team of officials from Rail Vikas Nigam Limited and Larsen and Toubro inspected the old market building on Saturday afternoon. The old structure is scheduled to be demolished before station construction can begin.
Kishore Manglani, secretary of the market’s stall owners’ association, said all traders had shifted but had not yet handed over the keys to the old building or individual stalls. “We still have the keys to the old market building and keys to individual stalls with us. Some formalities are yet to be completed. We will hand over the keys only after all promised amenities are provided to us,” he said.
Manglani said RVNL had been cooperating with the traders, but several promised facilities had not been completed. A trader also said the main gate of the new market was still unfinished. A payloader was operating on the lane between the old and new structures during the inspection.
The transition has already affected customers. Several people went to the old market on Saturday and found its gates closed before being redirected to the new facility. The market is known for selling sports goods, and traders held their 72-year-old Durga Puja celebrations inside the newly built temporary structure after shifting began on October 15.
The relocation follows a prolonged administrative process involving the temporary movement of shops from defence land. Completion of the move allows the old building to be cleared, but the traders’ pending amenities and formal handover remain immediate steps before demolition can proceed.
The Purple Line currently has only 7.7 km in operation between Joka and Majerhat. The planned corridor is 26.8 km long and is intended to extend to Eden Gardens. The next construction milestone at the market site is the completion of the remaining formalities, provision of the promised amenities and handover of the old premises for demolition.
