Pinjore fruit market revamp on cards, HSAMB moves to appoint consultant

Panchkula: In a renewed push to complete the long-delayed Apple, Fruit and Vegetable Market in Pinjore, the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB) has initiated the process to appoint a consultancy firm to assess pending works and draw up fresh cost estimates.

The move is being seen as an attempt to revive the ambitious market project, which has remained stalled for years.

According to officials, the consultant will evaluate the work already executed at the site and prepare detailed estimates for the remaining work. The firm will also assist in planning the balance construction and provide architectural, structural, electrical, plumbing, fire-fighting and landscaping designs for the proposed facility.

The scope includes assessment of work carried out by the previous EPC contractor, geo-tagged photographic documentation, preparation of bills of quantities (BOQs), cost estimates, and inspections during execution of the remaining work.

Officials said the project is likely to be completed in phases. The consultant is expected to submit an initial assessment report within 10 days of allotment, detailed estimates within 20 days, and complete architectural and structural drawings within two months. The execution phase is projected to take around 12 months.

The remaining work may be split into separate packages, including roads and parking, sewerage and STP systems, electrical infrastructure, firefighting systems, and finishing of buildings and sheds.

Local stakeholders have long demanded completion of the project, saying it will boost horticulture trade and provide better infrastructure for farmers and commission agents in the region.

The facility is envisioned as a modern fruit and vegetable market with integrated infrastructure such as roads, parking, drainage and landscaping, and is expected to benefit growers from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and nearby areas.

In July 2024, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini inaugurated the first phase of the project and announced measures aimed at farmer and trader welfare.