Controversy Erupts as Integrated Vegetable and Meat Market is Demolished in Mancherial
he market was approved in 2021 with an estimated cost of ₹7.2 crore. Of this, ₹4.5 crore was sanctioned by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department, while ₹2.7 crore was allocated from Mancherial Municipal funds. Following the passing of a resolution,
Hyderabad: An under-construction integrated vegetable and meat market in Mancherial, initiated by the previous BRS government, was allegedly demolished on Thursday by authorities without any formal process or permission to establish a maternal and child hospital in its place.
The market was approved in 2021 with an estimated cost of ₹7.2 crore. Of this, ₹4.5 crore was sanctioned by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department, while ₹2.7 crore was allocated from Mancherial Municipal funds. Following the passing of a resolution, construction work for the facility commenced, and ₹3 crore was spent on completing the foundation and columns. However, work was delayed after the death of the owner of the executing agency. A maternal and child hospital, costing ₹17.8 crore, was already established near College Road and on the banks of the Godavari River. Unfortunately, this hospital was submerged during the rains in 2022.
MLA Prem Sagar Rao announced that the MCH would be constructed at the site of the integrated vegetable and meat market for patient convenience while addressing the press in Mancherial on December 19 of last year. Rao claimed that the construction of the integrated vegetable market at IB Chowk was an unnecessary measure by the previous government.
In this context, the under-construction vegetable building was demolished amid tight security. Following this, Prem Sagar Rao laid the foundation for the MCH, stating that the facility would soon be constructed in conjunction with a super specialty hospital. He mentioned that the estimated cost for both facilities was ₹300 crore, with the government already approving ₹50 crore.
However, municipal officials did not provide any clarification regarding the demolition of the vegetable and meat market, raising concerns among many residents. They failed to disclose details about the city council’s approval for the demolition and the government’s orders regarding the structure’s destruction. Commissioner A. Maruthi Prasad was unavailable for comment.
