MCGM to start chain of malls across Mumbai

MUMBAI: In a first for any civic body in the country, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai is planning to start a chain of malls across the city and seems particular about processes like branding and logo which are generally associated with private companies.

The MCGM has decided to start at least ten such malls in the next year and has decided to call the chain as `M-CUBE' or Municipal Mall for Masses and would soon be coming out with a logo for the same.

"It is not a business venture for us nor are we moving beyond our obligation of providing for public markets by starting the malls," Additional Municipal Commissioner Manu Kumar Srivastava said.

Existing municipal markets will be reconstructed to build the malls and the MCGM has already earmarked a sum of Rs 15 crore for the malls in this year's budget estimates.

"We have specialised markets selling one commodity, but the malls will be having everything under one roof and will also be more appealing aesthetically," Srivastava said.

Srivastava added that hawkers who cannot be accomodated in the hawking zones can be given space to run departmental stores, food courts and vegetable and food markets inside the mall but maintained that it will not be possible to accomodate all of the city's hawkers.

Apart from that, the malls will also be housing stalls of items made by self-help groups and women's groups, he said. "Gradually we plan to have one such mall in every neighbourhood in the city and the sum of Rs 15 crore is primary as the bulk of the expenditure will occur starting next year," Srivastava said.