Delhi has launched four infrastructure projects across the Azadpur, Keshopur and Narela agricultural markets, covering internal roads, covered storage, drainage repairs and a new system to weigh commercial vehicles while they remain in motion.
Chief minister Rekha Gupta laid the foundation stones for the projects on Friday, with the works aimed at improving facilities for farmers, traders and workers using the city’s wholesale agricultural markets.
At Keshopur Fruit and Vegetable Market, internal roads that are more than 20 years old will be reconstructed at a cost of Rs 9.5 crore. The project is intended to address the condition of roads within the market, which handles the movement of agricultural produce and commercial vehicles.
Two temporary sheds will be built at Narela’s New Grain Market, which is spread across 33 acres. The covered spaces will provide storage and protect grain from rain and other adverse weather conditions, according to the report.
The Azadpur New Vegetable Market will receive repairs to sewerage and drainage infrastructure in Blocks B and C. The work will address damaged and clogged pipelines, leakage and waterlogging in the market. These problems can affect the movement and handling of produce in a wholesale market, as well as conditions for workers and traders.
A slow-speed weigh-in-motion system will also be installed at the entry and exit gates of the Azadpur Fruit and Vegetable Market. The system will allow commercial vehicles to be weighed without requiring them to come to a complete halt.
Gupta said the government wanted to move beyond repairs and cosmetic changes and create infrastructure capable of meeting the needs of the markets for the next 100 years. She said work was also planned on roads, drainage, waste disposal, lighting, healthcare facilities, security systems and technology upgrades across Delhi’s agricultural markets.
The chief minister added that consultants had already been appointed for the development of Tikri Khampur Fruit and Vegetable Market. Long-term plans were also being prepared for markets in Azadpur, Ghazipur, Narela and Keshopur.
Development minister Kapil Mishra said infrastructure gaps had persisted in several markets for years. He said some areas had lacked proper roads and sewerage facilities for decades.
The projects place basic market infrastructure at the centre of Delhi’s agricultural supply system. Roads, drainage, covered storage and vehicle weighing facilities determine how produce, workers and commercial traffic move through these large, busy sites. The immediate works announced for Keshopur, Narela and Azadpur are part of a wider plan covering the city’s agricultural markets.
The next stage will involve implementation of the announced projects, alongside the preparation of longer-term development plans for Azadpur, Ghazipur, Narela and Keshopur markets.
