New market complex will replace Manning Market
Plans are underway to shift the Colombo Manning Market to Peliyagoda,
where it would be re-established as a market complex with all
facilities.
Plans are afoot to shift the Manning Market in Colombo to
Peliyagoda where it will be re-established as a market complex
with all facilities.The Urban Development Authority (UDA) is
constructing the new market in a 25 acre-block of land near the
Peliyagoda wholesale fish market on the advice of Economic
Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa. |
The Urban Development Authority (UDA) is initiating constructions of
the new market complex in a 25 acre-block of land close to the
Peliyagoda Wholesale Fish Market, on the advice of Economic Development
Minister Basil Rajapaksa.
This market complex would meet the requirements of the farmer,
consumer and the trader. It would comprise among other facilities, 100
two storeyed-wholesale vegetable stalls (each 120 square feet), 662
retail vegetable sales stalls, a processing centre for vegetables and
fruits for export, employees rest rooms, restaurants, service centres,
parking space for 135 lorries and 200 cars, according to Economic
Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa. The UDA has estimated the cost of
the market complex to Rs. 1,357 million.
This was revealed at a meeting held at the Economic Development
Ministry. Senior representatives of the Economic Development Ministry,
the UDA, Co-operatives and Internal Trade Ministry, Ports and Highways
Ministry, Western Provincial Council, Colombo Municipal Council,
Peliyagoda Urban Council and Manning Market Traders Association
participated in the meeting.
At present, the Manning Market is located in a three-and-a-half acre
area in Colombo. Vegetables and fruits transported to the city from all
parts of the island, are sold to wholesale traders at this market, which
had been earlier situated at Kachcheri Road, Colombo. In 1983, it was
shifted to the present Manning Stores which was built during the
colonial era for storing sugar. Eight store rooms had been divided into
small sections and handed over to wholesale and retail traders to be
used as vegetable and meat stalls.
There are nearly 1,178 wholesale and retail stalls at Manning Market,
where facilities were very limited. Around 200 lorry loads arrive at the
market from around 4.00 a.m. daily. Almost 50,000 people and about 1,000
vehicles arrive daily to make purchases. In addition to nearly 2,000
labourers (‘naataamis’) working daily, about 5,000 others are also
employed at the market, according to Manning Market Traders Association
President Lal Hettige.
Manning Market Traders Association’s President says that the
construction of the new market complex at Peliyagoda was a
long-cherished dream of his come true.
He expressed his gratitude to Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Urban
Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa for taking this very
important initiative to build the new market with the President’s
guidance.
After the Manning Market is shifted to Peliyagoda, the present market
site would be used for building a new bus terminus with all facilities
and a market complex for pavement hawkers. A cabinet decision on this
had been taken in December 2011. |