The general cleanliness drive will begin on Monday in the Khanderao Vegetable Market, near which the VMC building is housed. On the anvil are a series of programmes.

According to highly placed sources, the move, probably unprecedented, is aimed at providing better civic amenities for the people who come to purchase vegetables.

The civic body has not only decided to carpet the internal roads of the market before Diwali but it would also earmark places for the vegetable vendors to sit. Sources said efforts would also be made to remove encroachment from the Market.

Plans are also afoot to revive an old fountain in the Market. A top civic official said that the shabby sheds will be cleaned by removing the tyre tubes which have been kept in the area.

He said that drainage and storm water drain facilities will also be improved. Efforts would be also made to ensure that the disposal of rotten vegetables and garbage was done in a proper manner, the officer added.

Mayor Umakant Joshi, Municipal Commissioner G R Aloria, office-bearers of the elected wing, in-charge City Engineer B S Trapasia and Raopura MLA Yogesh Patel visited the Market on Monday.