Chandigarh: Sector-39 grain market shops to open for public bidding via e-auction from March 3

After two decades of delay, the UT Administration is set to begin the e-auction of 23 fruit and vegetable shops in Sector 39 from March 3 as part of the long-awaited relocation of the Sector 26 grain market. The auction will be conducted online and for the first time it will be open to general public, a move that has drawn opposition from traders in Sector 26.

Bidders can upload the required documents on e-auction.gov.in by March 24 and the auction will take place from March 28 to March 31. Each shop, measuring 120 square yards, has a reserve price of ₹3.70 crore. Unlike the previous system, where shops were sold on a freehold basis, these will be allotted on a leasehold basis for 99 years.

In January this year, UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria approved the auction of 46 out of 92 fruit and vegetable shops. The state agriculture marketing board has decided to auction 23 shops first, with the remaining to follow based on the response.

A committee has been formed to oversee the process. It includes the administrator of market committee, Chandigarh; Joint secretary of state Agriculture Marketing Board; Assistant estate officer-I; Technical director of National Informatics Centre (NIC), Chandigarh; Assistant town planner, department of urban planning, Chandigarh; Sub-divisional engineer (SDE) of State Agriculture Marketing Board; Section officer, estate office (Auction Branch); and the law officer of State Agriculture Marketing Board.

One of the major concerns regarding the Sector 39 site is the Kajauli water pipelines, laid in 1980, that pass underneath. “Since relocating these pipelines is not feasible, a green cover will be developed over the affected area,” an official said. The pipelines, laid in 1980, form a critical part of the city’s water supply network.

The Sector 39 grain market was planned in 2002 to decongest the Sector 26 grain market, which had no room for further expansion.

However, despite multiple attempts over the past year to auction 92 shops, progress has been slow.

The decision to open bidding to the general public has drawn criticism from the Sector 26 Sabzi Mandi Arhtiya Association.

Brij Mohan, president of the association, has opposed the move arguing that Sector 26 traders should be given preference.

“We will oppose this auction. The administration should first prioritise shop owners from Sector 26. The terms and conditions for auctioning shops on a leasehold basis are unacceptable. The reserve price is also too high, pointing out that the UT administration acquired 78 acres in Sector 39 for just ₹2 crore in 1990. For the last two decades, the administration has failed to allot the shops,” he said.

Mohan insisted that the shops should be allotted as per the Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board (Sale and Transfer of Plots) Rules, 1961.

Once the shops in Sector 39 are allotted, the Sector 26 grain market will be de-notified in phases, marking the end of an era for one of the city’s oldest wholesale markets.