Vizianagaram district Collector B.R. Ambedkar directed the Revenue- and Municipal authorities to identify a suitable land for the construction of new Rythu Bazaar as the existing one at old Maharaja hospital would be closed very soon as Pusapati family has won the case in the court over the property.

The Collector said that the government is keen to establish a new Rythu Bazaar to enable people to buy vegetables directly from the farmers at affordable rates.

A few local people urged the Collector to consider the piece of land located between Aditya and Krishna theatres for the construction of farmers’ market as it is convenient for hundreds of people in the city. The two town police station which had been there for many decades was razed down five years after the construction of the new police station in Vizianagaram-Nellimarla route. Now, the land which is owned by Vizianagaram Municipal Corporation and has been lying vacant for many years.

A resident of Nagavamsam Street and Reddi JAC president Bora Ramachandra Reddy urged the Collector to consider the location for the construction of new Rythu Bazaar as it is convenient for residents of Nagavamsam street, Ulli Veedhi, Kolagatla street and others. “Ample parking is the added advantage as the road is wide near the old two town police station area. So, it would benefit the residents of nearly 20 colonies in Vizianagaram,” he added.

The locals of Padmavati colony, Dharmapuri, Thotapalem and others also urged the government to consider their locations for the establishment of new Rythu Bazaars as they are being forced to travel nearly three kilometres to buy vegetables from Rythu Bazaars located in R and B Bungalow and Dasannapeta areas.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) leaders such as Tammineni Suryanarayana, Reddi Sankara Rao and others asked the Pusapati family to rethink over resuming the land of the old Maharaja hospital. “The then Maharaja P.V.G. Raju has allocated the land for the construction of the hospital in the interest of the public. The same land is being used for the public purpose in the form of Rythu Bazaar. It is absolutely unfair to claim right over the property once given for the public purpose,” said Mr. Sankara Rao. Along with CPI(M) leaders, the farmers continued their agitation at Old Maharaja hospital, asking the government to construct a new Rythu Bazaar before forcing them to vacate the premises.