Chikkaballapur APMC yard in state of utter neglect

The Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee yard in the town is a picture of utter neglect. Potholed roads, tanks without water, filthy toilets are some of the deficiencies that have become part of this facility for trading in farm produces.

Licence was granted to this market for trading on October 12, 1967 and it was operating at the circle near BB Road till 1981. Later, it was shifted to its present location. Considering the date it was granted licence, the market is now 50 years old. The state-run facility, which should have been a model in terms of infrastructure facility, is now in a pathetic condition, decades after its establishment.

The APMC market is a single-point of trading in agri produce. Truck loads of flower and vegetables arrive here and so are other farm produce. The 28-acre yard also hosts cattle fair. Given the numerous activities it is home to, thousands of people visit the yard on a daily basis.

However, notwithstanding its utility, the APMC yard is bereft of basic amenities. There is neither parking lot nor pedestrian path. Frequent movement of heavy vehicles has caused knee-deep potholes on roads. No steps have been taken to repair this road all these years.

Since no system is in place to regulate movement of vehicles, anarchy descends on roads, particularly during festival days. Though water tanks have been installed at at least five places, none of them has water. A “pay-and-use” toilet has been constructed near the vegetable shops, wherein you have shell out Rs 5. But, cleanliness is alien here. The canteen on the yard is poorly maintained.

It is better not to speak about the poor state of affairs at the area where cattle fair is held. This location lacks ramps which are required for herding animals into vehicles and water tanks for cattle.

Though the quantity of flower and vegetables arriving at the market has been increasing over the years, no steps had been taken to ramp up the basic infrastructure facilities here. An APMC official felt that shifting vegetable or flower market could be a solution.

Farmers say that the APMC had been under an administrator for the past five years and absence of an elected committee at the helm has led to deterioration of the market. However, elections have been notified for the APMC committee recently.

Farmers hope that the newly elected  committee may breathe fresh air into the languishing market yard.
DH News Service