The chaos, congestion, sanitation and surveillance concerns at the Sector 26 mandi may soon become a thing of the past as the UT administration is carrying out a 1-crore infrastructure upgrade here.
The chaos, congestion, sanitation and surveillance concerns at the Sector 26 mandi may soon become a thing of the past as the UT administration is carrying out a ₹1-crore infrastructure upgrade here.Roughly half the budget, ₹57 lakh, has been allocated for the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, a move, officials say, is aimed at improving security and monitoring in a space that sees heavy daily cash transactions and footfall.The remaining funds are being channeled into civic works: repair of worn-out auction platforms, reorganisation of parking, and regulation of movement at entry and exit points. A temporary store and chowkidar room have already come up at the site of the old market committee office, while repairs of vegetable auction platforms are complete. Work on the onion and potato sections is, however, still underway.Streamlining parkingFencing has been installed around key parking areas, and overhead barricades are being introduced to streamline the chaotic flow of vehicles entering and exiting the mandi. Plans are afoot to create designated parking for scooters and mark spaces for cars and trucks, though some of these efforts remain stalled due to ongoing roadwork.Lighting upgrades have been completed, offering some relief in early morning and late evening hours when trading activity peaks. But more fundamental upgrades, including reconstruction of internal roads and improvements to the drainage system are still awaiting approval.“The infrastructure upgrade in Sector-26 mandi is aimed at improving safety, easing congestion, and ensuring better regulation of trading activities,” said D Kartikeyan, secretary mandi board.High court rapThe move comes after the Punjab and Haryana high court had made stern observations over the mess at the mandi. The HC, during a hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) last year, had pulled up the UT administration, stating, “Have you seen the muck that is there? You cannot even step into the market.”The bench was referring to the heaps of uncollected garbage, waterlogged and muddy internal roads, and widespread encroachments by vendors and vehicles that were choking movement within the market.Sector-26 mandi, developed as part of Chandigarh’s planned market ecosystem, was designed for a smaller scale of operations. Over time, as supply chains expanded and dependence on the mandi grew, the pressure on its infrastructure intensified. The current upgrade, officials say, is an attempt to modernise facilities without disrupting daily trade.Relocation to Sector-39 mandiParallely work is progressing on the upcoming integrated trading hub at Sector-39, where the state agricultural marketing board, Chandigarh, is developing a 75-acre new grain, fruit and vegetable market in a phased manner – first the fruit and vegetable segment, followed by the grain market.As part of the project, 23 shop-cum-office (SCO) sites out of a total 92 in the first phase were put up for e-auction on a leasehold basis under the Chandigarh Estate Rules. The bidding process concluded on March 31, 2025, with bids received for 12 sites. The allotment process was stalled after the Subzi Mandi Aarthi Association approached the Supreme Court of India, challenging the e-auction process. The matter was finally disposed of on December 17, 2025, in favour of the Chandigarh administration and the State Agricultural Marketing Board, clearing the legal hurdle for the project to move ahead.The board has engaged NABARD Consultancy Services (NABCONS) as project management consultant for the development of the new mandi. Environmental clearance for the project has also been sought. Officials said that once environmental clearance is granted, the process for auctioning additional sites and other development activities in the Sector-39 mandi complex will be initiated.