PONDA: The Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) has decided to lease out its entire new market complex at Budhwar Peth (Upper Bazar) to a single entity. The decision comes after failure to get the bidders over six different auctions for individual shops in the complex, said PMC chairperson Anand Naik.
Inaugurated in Dec 2011, the market complex has been underutilised, with only 29 of 154 shops occupied. Despite auctions, PMC has been unable to find takers for the remaining shops for over a decade.
PMC said that leasing the entire complex will help generate revenue and cover its operational expenses. Naik said the latest auction held last month has seen no takers either. “So we are of the opinion that renting out these shops individually is not possible and it is better to lease it out to a single party,” he said.
The decision is inspired by a similar move by the Curchorem Municipal Council, which recently leased its entire building after seeking Goa State Urban Development Agency’s (GSUDA) approval.
