Renovation plan slammed

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Blocking the path: Stalls and tables placed on the pavement of Jalan Utama obstruct pedestrians.

SPENDING RM270,000 to renovate hawker stalls at the temporary site on Jalan Utama next to the Penang Hospital is a sheer waste of taxpayers’ money.

Penang Consumer Protection Association (PCPA) president K. Koris said the better alternative was to construct a permanent hawkers’ site for the traders near the hospital.

“Why spend so much money on a temporary site when the place is not conducive for trading?

“The 68 stalls there have been built over a drain. The place is crawling with rodents and cockroaches,” he said.

He was commenting on a statement by Datuk Keramat assemblyman Jagdeep Singh Deo that the renovation work would begin in January.

Jagdeep said the site was in poor condition with cracks and leaks in the roof, floor and walls.

Unhygienic condition: Stallholders opening the manhole to reveal pipes which are obstructing water flow in the drain.

He said the council had allocated RM270,000 for the project under its 2012 Budget.

Koris said the council should consider building an underground hawkers’ complex at the Polo ground.

“If this is deemed too expensive, they must identify another spot near the hospital,” he said.

A check showed that traders there welcome the renovation project but hoped a permanent site would be built for them.

Trader Zaidi Abdullah, 53, said large umbrellas, tables and chairs had been placed on the walkway and it obstructed the movement of pedestrians.

“It will be good if the traders are offered a permanent site.

“It must be near the hospital since our business is dependent on hospital staff and visitors,” he said.

He said the traders pay RM15 monthly rental to the council.

Zaidi said the there were no toilet or bathing facilities at the hawkers’ site.

“Traders and customers have to go to nearby restaurants to ease themselves,” he said.

Hiding spot: Cockroaches seen under the manhole cover.

Another trader K. Krishnan, 52, urged the council to relocate two large underground pipes in the area which were obstructing water flow in the drain.

When several stallholders and their helpers opened the manhole cover next to the stalls, they found many cockroaches hiding behind it.

When contacted, Jagdeep said the renovation project was aimed at sprucing up the stalls for hygienic reasons.

“It is important that the place be kept clean especially since it is next to the hospital,” he said.

Jagdeep said the council had plans to relocate the stalls elsewhere but this would take some time to materialise.

“In the meantime, we want the place to be kept clean,” he said, adding he believe the traders would not want to be relocated far from the hospital.