The demand comes after Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya in his Budget statement on Saturday stated that the unauthorised buildings existing in the added areas — from ward number 100 to 141 — could get legalised after paying a penalty amount to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

Although the penalty amount by the KMC has not been fixed yet, the traders are keen to take recourse in the civic body’s latest decision.

“If the illegal buildings in the added areas like Jadavpur and Garden Reach can get legalised, what is wrong with the structures of our market complex?

If the unauthorised structures are allowed to pay a penalty and get the illegal portion of their building sanctioned, why does the KMC want to demolish the top six floors of the Nandaram-Kashiram market complex?” said Samar Choudhury, general secretary of the Nandaram Market Traders Association. A five-member team from the market will meet Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi on March 24.

The same day, traders will also block Brabourne Road from 3 to 6 pm, which they plan to continue till March 28.