The civic authority in Ranchi is ready with the capital's first dedicated vegetable market where over 300 sellers, who operate out of a road opposite Raj Bhavan, are to relocate, ensuring that Kishoreganj Chowk on Ratu Road will finally be opened up to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

The market, built by Ranchi Municipal Corporation over 40,000 sq feet at Naga Baba Khatal at a cost of Rs 10 crore, is awaiting formal inauguration, deputy mayor Sanjeev Vijayvargiya said in Friday.

“We have sent a proposal to the chief minister’s office, seeking a time for its inauguration. From our end, the vegetable market is ready, except for some minor finishing touches which will barely take a day or two to wrap up,” he said.

The two-storeyed market has 195 spacious counters. It also has a basement. “At least 300 fruits and vegetable vendors can easily be accommodated there. It has passages on all sides for easy entry and exit. There are parking bays too,” he said.

Once operational, he said, after vendors take up place there, the problem off traffic jams around Raj Bhavan and at Kishoreganj chowk at Ratu road would be over.

Around 400 vegetable and fruit vendors sit along the road near Raj Bhavan every day from morning till night. This apart, autos and rickshaws too remain parked there, leading to perpetual traffic jams.

Vijayvargiya said vendors would be allocated space using a lottery system. “Through lotteries, we will auction space. Even for vendors, the vegetable market complex will be beneficial to do business as besides proper vending zones, there will be proper facilities for drinking water and toilets,” he said.

RMC is also installing over 60 high-end CCTV cameras for security.

The foundation stone of the Naga Baba vegetable market project was laid in 2017 when the Raghubar Das-led BJP government was in power. It was meant to be ready by 2020 but the project got mired in delays due alterations in design and the pandemic.

It is among a handful of civic projects that has been completed after the change of regime in the state.