The proposed Palika Bazaar at Freedom Park, along the lines of Delhi’s Palika Bazaar, was shelved by the BBMP on Wednesday when the revised budget was approved by the BBMP council. The Palika Bazaar plan figured in the BBMP’s budget for 2012-13. But the project was vehemently opposed by the Congress led by Gandhinagar MLA Dinesh Gundurao. Mr Rao said that the Gandhinagar area is already congested with malls and commercial activities and the vehicular density is very high. Adding more malls will only aggravate traffic problems and inconvenience the public, he held. He demanded that it must be constructed elsewhere.
The project was dreamt up by Mayor D. Venkatesh Murthy and Rs 5 crore had been earmarked for it in the budget. Leader of the Opposition in the BBMP council, M. K. Gunashekar, too opposed the construction of the mall within the city. He reminded the mayor about a statement the latter had made that malls will not be entertained in the core areas of the city which are already cramped. Bowing to pressure, the ruling BJP shelved the project and said that a suitable place will be identified on the outskirts of the city for construction of the Palika Bazaar.