With the integrated wholesale vegetable and grocery market at Solar nearing completion, a decision on shifting the city’s wholesale market from the V.O.C. Park Ground is yet to be taken after Minister for Handlooms, Textiles and Khadi M. Vijay Balaji said it would continue to function at its present location.

During his election campaign and after his victory, Mr. Vijay Balaji said the public would face difficulty travelling to Solar, located on the city’s outskirts, and maintained that the wholesale market would continue to function at the V.O.C. Park Ground.

The Minister’s statement has raised questions over the future of the ₹22.48-crore integrated market at Solar, where about 80% of the construction work has been completed. The project was conceived to decongest the city by relocating the wholesale market to the outskirts and providing better infrastructure for wholesale trade. However, while a section of traders is willing to shift to the new facility, others have opposed the move, citing concerns over accessibility and business prospects.

The wholesale market was shifted from the Nethaji Vegetable and Fruit Market Complex on R.K.V. Road to the V.O.C. Park Ground during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and has continued to function there ever since, with over 700 shops. The old market complex was subsequently demolished and rebuilt with 268 shops during the AIADMK regime. However, traders refused to shift back, contending that the new complex could not accommodate all of them.

The DMK government later decided to establish an integrated wholesale vegetable and grocery market at Solar. The foundation stone for the project was laid by the then Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on December 20, 2024.

The new facility, expected to be completed in the next three months, is being developed in three phases — the first with 702 shops, the second with 32 shops, and the third with 60 shops. It will also have four warehouses, one each for fruits, vegetables, groceries, and rice, besides 1.46 acres earmarked for parking. Spread over 4.22 lakh sq. ft., the integrated market will accommodate 794 shops with a built-up area of 8,909.4 sq. m.

Corporation sources told The Hindu that one proposal under consideration was to shift only the wholesale market to Solar while establishing mini-markets in all the four city zones to cater to retail customers, thereby sparing residents the need to travel about 8 km for their daily purchases. The proposal is being examined by the Minister, the District Collector and the Corporation Commissioner in consultation with stakeholders.

However, with the Minister publicly backing the continuation of the market at the V.O.C. Park Ground and traders remaining divided over the relocation, officials said no final decision had been taken on shifting the market.

Published - August 07, 2026 09:14 pm IST