Two years after the West Bengal government allocated ₹26 crore to renovate the 1874-built, Victorian-Gothic New Market — appointing Jadavpur University as consultant for central air-conditioning, seismic retrofitting, and repairs to its drainage, roof and toilets — no actual construction work had started on the deteriorating structure, which has cracked pillars and walls, flooding during rain, and roof leaks, despite housing 3,000 shops that generate ₹25 crore in annual revenue for KMC.
On record
The official record states: "Municipal and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim cited unresolved issues around removing illegal hawker structures along the market's outer walls, temporarily relocating shops, and calculating compensation costs as reasons the funded work had not begun."
Filed as "Abandoned / stalled" and dated to ₹26 crore allocated November 21, 2023, this entry sits under the "₹26 crore allocated" line of the public accounts.
What to expect
- A ribbon-cutting photograph that aged faster than the structure.
- Maintenance records that exist in principle.
- A budget line that grew with the confidence of the project itself.
- A file number that outlived several transfer postings.
Sourcing
1 public source — news reports, RTI replies and civic archives — corroborate this entry. The citation trail is listed below for anyone who would like to follow up with the department concerned.
“The only thing delivered on time was the mobilisation advance.”— Blunderlust Editorial Desk
Sources
Visitor reviews
“Took a chai break at the stall opposite and watched it not progress. It has an excellent online presence and a weak physical one.”
“Came here as a break from the fort circuit. The overrun now has an overrun of its own.”
“Visited because my landlord would not stop talking about it. Come for West Bengal tourism, leave thinking about municipal governance.”
