Ima Market likely to be rebuilt
Source: The Sangai Express / Courtesy Manipur Pao

Imphal, April 26 2016: Uncertainty of whether the historic women's market of Manipur will be retrofitted or rebuilt may soon be resolved.

However, tangible action on the fate of the damaged market structures isn't likely to be taken just as yet.

Higly reliable source told Manipurpao that the much awaited expert committee's report is with the Government and all indications are that its recommendation is for strengthening the structures by retrofitting and not re-built as demanded by the women vendors.

Regardless of the experts' report and considering the wishes of the women vendors and with the general Assembly election just round the corner, the source informed that the Government is likely to reject the experts' recommendation and opt for rebuilding by going in for un-storeyed structures.

Battered by two massive tremors, Manipur's historic women's market has been out-of-bound since the 6.7 earthquake of January 4, 2016 .

Despite the Imphal city municipal authorities declaring all the three market structures as dangerous, the least damaged of the three markets, incidentally built by the State's PWD as against the other two, built by the National Building Construction Company, is still occupied by the women vendors who remain unheeded with nowhere else to go.

This development compelled other vendors to take to the streets to do their trade, around the market complex in the heart of Imphal, putting up immense hardships.

Even as the plight of the vendors grew, they appealed to the Government to completely dismantle the structures and re-build them anew as soon as possible.

The Government meanwhile chose to drag its feet and remain non-committal saying they are awaiting the report of the expert committee which surveyed the damages inflicted by the earthquake.

Meanwhile another tremor, measuring 6.8, jolted the State on April 13 .

Comment