A decade after fire, renovated Jayanagar complex remains just a promise

BENGALURU: In June 2008 a fire destroyed the vegetable market of the iconic

Jayanagar Shopping Complex

. Four years later, the

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike

(BBMP) and the

Bangalore Development Authority

(BDA) came together to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to revamp the complex by replacing it with four multi-level towers and a parking lot. However, six years on, only one tower of the ambitious project has been completed. What more, it remains barricaded and empty. All this, despite five successive chief ministers doing spot inspections over the years.

As per the MOU, the BDA is tasked with construction of the towers. Once complete, the BDA would be permitted to collect rent to make up for the cost, after which, the BBMP would take over the rent collection.

When TOI visited the Complex on Wednesday, the scars from the fire were still visible. K Suresh of the Jayanagar Shopping Complex Merchants Association said there was not much structural damage. “After the fire, the authorities took a very long time to respond. Since we could not wait for the government to come to our aid, we got the walls repainted using our own money. They only provided new shutters and electricity connection. We had only requested that they make the necessary renovations following the fire. Instead, they came up with these big plans that have still not taken off,” said Suresh.

Traders complain of lack of amenities

The 40-year-old complex continues to thrive to this day, with customers dropping in to buy everything, from vegetables and flowers to clothes and jewellery. However, the traders, may of whom have been operating here since the 1970s and 80s say the complex lacks basic facilities such as clean toilets and adequate parking space, and that this could eventually compel traders to take their business elsewhere.

“About seven months ago, we requested the BBMP to take possession of the new building and make a payment of Rs 56 crore (the cost of construction) to us, as we are unable to continue with the project due to financial reasons. The traders too were unwilling to move into the new building, and we told the BBMP to handle it,” said a senior officer from the BDA.

Confirming this, BBMP commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad said the matter would be placed before the council for approval. “The initial agreement too was approved by the council. So, the council’s approval is necessary in this case too,” he said.

Tower ready but empty

For the traders of Jayanagar Shopping Complex, the last six year have been an exercise in futility, with absolutely nothing materialising, despite several lofty promises.

“The new building was completed by the end of 2015, but has remained empty since. We were willing to temporarily occupy the tower, while the others were being constructed, and had even approached the BDA with an allotment list. However, the BDA suddenly dropped the project due to lack of funds. Additionally, as the area around the tower has been barricaded, this has eaten into the already limited parking space,” said Venkatesh KV, vice president of the Jayanagar Shopping Complex Merchants Association. Venkatesh is among the oldest traders in the complex, having set up his bookshop here in 1976.

Most of the traders say that the shops in the new building are very small, measuring only a fraction of the size of their current establishments. However, they were still willing to temporarily occupy them. “There are so many hawkers in and around the complex. Even if the project stands cancelled, why can’t the authorities shift them to this building? This way, at least there will be more space outside the complex. Instead, they have chosen to leave it empty, and have lost years of revenue in the process,” said Jagadish Hemrajani, secretary of the association, adding that they have approached newly elected Jayanagar MLA Sowmya Reddy, who said she’d be inspecting the area on Thursday.