By the end of next week, there will be no trace of the old Al Hamriyah Fruit and Vegetable Market, which has stood on an area of 450,000 square metres for nearly three decades.
After 27 years, the market will be demolished, leaving the area free for other ambitious plans which are yet to be unveiled, a civic official said.
The job of clearing and demolishing what remains of the market has been contracted out by the municipality to a private company that paid Dh1.3 million for windows, doors and scrap iron, said Mohammad Al Tawhidi, director of the Building and Housing Department.
"The idea of shifting the market from Hamriyah occurred to the planners and decision-makers as far back as 10 years ago," Al Tawhidi said. "The location at Hamriyah for the vegetable market was not suitable anymore and the area was to be re-planned. The old market in Hamriyah opened on May 12, 1977. Since then, studies and reviews have taken place and a suitable area for shifting the market was being looked for to accommodate growth."
The market shifted to its new location in Al Awir on Emirates Road in July.
Vendors from Al Hamriyah Fruit and Vegetable Market said they paid "inflated" fees to move from the old market to the new Dh152 million Dubai Central Fruit and Vegetable Market.
More than Dh140 million was earned when the rights were auctioned to the 132 shops, cold stores, stalls, bastas (racks for vendors), restaurants, cafs and office space.
The municipality official said the new market is designed to meet the requirements of the emirate's fruit and vegetable business until 2012.
The new wholesale market in Al Awir encompasses seven blocks with 284 outlets and occupies an area of 1.1 million square metres.
Traders have not been happy with the move to the new location because it is too far away from the city centre, they said. Two months after the move, business has yet to pickup, they said. They are still waiting for a surge in customers. The facility is located in an area that links Dubai with Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates.
The new market has all the modern amenities as well as the necessary space to accommodate an increased number of vendors and customers.
The civic official said the location of the new market is suitable for inter-state transportation and for the re-export of fruits and vegetables.
The location of the old market added to traffic congestion because of the number of heavy vehicles at the market delivering and picking up goods.
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