KAKINADA: Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) has fixed three slabs for Diwali stalls in three places. Stalls will not be allowed at the Raja Tank this year since the area is being developed under Smart City concept. Mc Lauren High School grounds (50 shops) has been chosen for installing Diwali shops in place of Raja Tank. Stalls will be also set up at Boat Club (11 shops) and Salt-Creek (11 shops) at Jagannaickpur.
The KMC has fixed Rs.35,000 for Mc Lauren High School, Rs 30,000 per stall for Boat Club and Rs 25,000 for Salt-Creek' stall as fees. Traderswill also have to pay Rs 00 to the KMC and Fire Department. The remaining amount will be paid towards installation of the stalls to be done by the KMC by following all safety norms.
Sources said that the KMC had received 63 applications for Mc Lauren High School Grounds for 50 shops, 13 applications each for Boat Club and Jagannaickpur for 11 shops each so far. KMC commissioner K. Ramesh is yet to fix the auction date to choose traders for shops. Municipal authorities said that there was no hike in fees for the stalls. KMC superintendent engineer C. Vijayakumar said that the installation will be based on necessary safety norms and through tender process. The contractor should provide water facilities and other safety equipment at the shops. This would involve an estimated expenditure of Rs.9,000 for each shop.
Meanwhile the People's Voice Convener Dusarlapudi Ramana Raju said that the KMC was 'looting' the traders collecting such high fees for the shops. He alleged that the high amount will not benefit the KMC. The major gains would be with the contractors. He requested the KMC officials to reduce the fees so that the benefit could be given to consumers. Otherwise, the consumers would be looted by the traders in selling the crackers. He also said that a syndicate has been formed to make additional collections from the traders on the pretext of different expenses. He suggested the KMC officials should give a message to the traders not to give any additional amounts to anyone or syndicates in the name of running the shops for two days.
