The new market will meet international standards and contain sections for exporting flowers and manufacturing natural colours from floral products. It will accommodate facilities for flower sellers from far-flung areas of the state.
“The plan to construct the market did not materialise as a section of the flower sellers did not favour it. Recently we managed to convince them,” said Sudhanshu Sil, MP.
Around 250 shops of the Phoolbazar, which were destroyed in yesterday’s fire will be relocated in the neighbouring Lohagodown.
“A compensation package is being worked out for the affected shop owners. The Mullickghat Phoolbazar Parichalan Samiti will compensate them,” said Sil, who heads the Phoolbazar Samiti. Though the market has 300 registered shops, about 6,000 flower vendors run their business here.
Expressing concern over the incident, Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi said, “I hope the shop owners will be able to resume their work soon.”
Forensic experts visited the area this afternoon to ascertain the cause of fire. Twenty pay-loaders of the solid waste department of the KMC have been asked to clear the debris from the spot by tomorrow morning.