Ooty Municipal Market to be modernised 

UDHAGAMANDALAM The Ooty Municipal Market, which is around 150-years-old, is set to get a much-needed

The Ooty Municipal Market, which is around 150-years-old, is set to get a much-needed makeover, with ₹18.23 crore being sanctioned.

The market, built during the colonial era, is located in the heart of Udhagamandalam town, and for years it has been riddled with congestion and safety issues, with a massive fire damaging a major portion of the market a few years ago.

In 2020, 80 shops at the market were destroyed after a fire broke out within the market complex. Fire officials stated that the shops that were tightly-packed together due to shopkeepers setting up structures outside the built-up area had contributed to the fire spreading within the complex.

Lack of parking space has also been a major complaint from patrons of the market which was once considered a “model market of India.” According to officials from the Udhagamandalam Municipality, more than 5,000 people visit the market a day during the weekends, and due to lack of facilities, this had put a tremendous strain on the market’s crumbling infrastructure.

As a result, funds have been sanctioned as part of the Kalaignar Nagarpura Membattu Thittam. The officials said as most of the buildings were around 150-years-old, they were tin-roofed structures that were in urgent need of renovation and repair. As a result, around 190 shops within the complex would be torn down and modernised shops would be built, they said.

Around 231 shops would be built in the market, with toilets, an ATM, a waiting area and car parking for around 140 cars and two-wheeler parking for around 200 vehicles, the officials said.