Goregaon’s iconic Topiwala Market is expected to reopen partially on November 30, bringing relief to traders and residents after nearly eight years of disruption. The first two floors, comprising 206 shops, are scheduled to resume operations following prolonged redevelopment delays.
The assurance was given during a review meeting at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) P-South ward office, convened by Mumbai North-West MP Ravindra Waikar to assess the project’s progress.
Former Shiv Sena (Shinde) corporator Dilip Shinde said the market’s closure since 2018 had affected traders’ earnings and inconvenienced residents who depended on it for everyday purchases.
“The market had remained shut since 2018, severely affecting vendors’ livelihoods and inconveniencing residents who relied on it for daily purchases of vegetables and fruits. Forced to operate on surrounding roads, traders have also contributed to increased congestion and traffic problems in the area,” he said.
Shinde added that the party would hold the civic administration responsible if the November 30 reopening commitment was not fulfilled.
A senior civic official attributed the delays to several factors, including the shifting of underground high-tension power cables, hard-rock excavation, legal issues, the COVID-19 pandemic and the termination of the earlier contractor’s agreement. The BMC is now working towards completing the entire project before March 2027.
Spread across a 3,438-square-metre plot, the proposed 16-storey complex will accommodate 206 shops, including 112 on the ground floor and 94 on the first floor. Plans also include 53 residential apartments, an auditorium with 800 seats, parking space for 192 vehicles and rooftop recreational facilities.
The redevelopment began after the Goregaon Market Traders Welfare Association approached the BMC. The original market and an adjoining theatre were demolished in 2018, with the project initially estimated at Rs 125.71 crore. Work resumed in 2022 after a two-year halt but faced further setbacks following the contractor’s exit.
A fresh tender was issued in 2024 for the remaining work after the BMC declined to relax the 10% cost-escalation limit. The overall project expenditure has since increased to Rs 202 crore.
Source: The Free Press Journal
