Pudu market traders still waiting for local authority to fulfill promise

KUALA LUMPUR: Pudu Market traders here are still waiting for their business site to be upgraded, as promised by the local authority, seven years ago.
Once transformed, the market which began operating way back in 1956 and is a popular choice for local residents to shop for daily needs would presumably be one of the best in the city.
However, Bernama found potholes, litter along the path and congestion due to the disorganised arrangement of the stalls.
Pudu Market Bumiputra Traders Association chairman Zamri Ismail said the group did not ask for much or unrealistic demands, just improvement to certain infrastructures and comfort for all parties.
"We only want the drain to be widened and maintained aside from a concrete floor to resolve the problem of potholes which customers were forced to bear with when they come and shop here.
"Talks about upgrading this market, it has been delayed countless times, you can see there's no change," he told Bernama when met at the site.
Meanwhile, Pudu Market Small-time Traders and Hawkers Association chairman Jeff Tan said the more than 1,000 traders there would readily give their cooperation in the upgrading process, including halting their business for two weeks by rotation.
"Before this we had only not agreed for the market to be modernised as this would take up to three years, which will of course affect our earnings.
"Kuala Lumpur City Hall did come to see and discuss with us, but the project has not commenced and we are eagerly still waiting," he said.
Vegetable seller Rashid Yazam, 54, said the project would also hopefully include upgrading of the parking facility, as promised.
"We were made to understand last time that we would have a multi-level parking facility but another building has already been constructed at the proposed site. I've been wondering where the parking facility would be built now," he said. — Bernama