Finally construction work of Chikhli market begins
Business Reporter :
More than two and half years after performing the groundbreaking ceremony of the long-awaited new market project at Chikhli (Deo), the Nagpur Itwari Kirana Merchants Association finally began excavation work at the site last week.
The merchants’ body, developing the Rs 300 crore project, told The Hitavada on Sunday that the construction work at the site is going on in full swing.
Secretary of the association, Pankaj Chabaria, said the new market will be developed in three years.
However, there is a big question mark over the progress of the excavation work in the upcoming monsoon.
It is important to note that the first bhoomipujan of the market was held in presence of Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and Naharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in December 2023. But then the association could not start the work for about two and half years highlighting that the project failed to get clearances from the concerned authorities.
Finally, on the auspicious occasion of Gudi Padwa in March 2026, office-bearers of the association performed a second bhoomipujan ceremony
at the site.
For quite a long time, the association was planning to start construction of the new market. But for one of the other reasons, the project got delayed.
However, Chabaria said “now the shifting of the existing grocery market from the narrow lanes of Itwari and Maskasath to a state-of-the-art new facility at mouza Chikhli (Deo) will soon be a reality.”
The Nagpur Itwari Kirana Merchants Association, the body of 665 merchants, is building the market on 16 acre land
with an estimated investment of Rs 300 crore.
The new market will have a spacious parking space, broad internal roads, a space of at least 1000 square feet area for all the 665 occupants, solar power system, rainwater harvesting facility, round the clock security, waste water treatment plant and other modern facilities.
It is important to note that the existing kirana market in the Itwari and Maskasath area lacks all such facilities because of which merchants and even the customers face hardship. As it is one of the oldest markets in the city, there is no proper space for vehicle parking.
The new location at Chikhli (Deo) is at a distance of about 3.5 km from the existing Itwari-Maskasath area. It is in the vicinity of the Kalamna market yard and thus the merchants have no fears of losing the customers.
