With Government’s plan to develop a G+9 floor swanky mall at the present Netaji Flower Market, situated near Janaki talkies, Sitabuldi, the flower market for which the Netaji market is known will be shifted permanently to Ganeshpeth. Initially, a temporary arrangement will be made for the flower sellers at the parking area in front of Ganeshpeth Bus Stand of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). Later on, a permanent flower market will be set up on 3-acre land. Chairman of Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) Sanjay Meena made it clear, “It is an old plan of Rs 150 crore of developing flower market at Ganeshpeth. Proposal has already got approval. The only hurdle we are facing is of user change.”

 

At present, the land is in possession of Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) whom State Government had asked to develop a wholesale and retail flower market. Now the responsibility is entrusted with NIT. Once the user change is done, NIT will start working. According to Meena, whenever the work starts, it will be ready in three years. The flower market has a long history. In 1994, Nagpur Municipal Corporation had allotted ‘Oatas’ (platforms) with tin shades to the flower sellers. Of course, those were given on certain conditions and for some period that was to be renewed after every 11 months.

 

According to Jayant Rananavre, President of Mahatma Phule Push Utpadak Association (MPPUA), flower sellers are running the business since long. Now they are being told by the authority to temporarily shift to Ganeshpeth and would be brought back at the present Netaji Flower Market once the mall is ready. After the approval of the plan for the construction of mall by MSIDC, the Maharashtra State Basic Facility Development Corporation conducted some meetings with MPPUA regarding their temporary shifting to Ganeshpeth. One meeting was conducted by the said corporation on November 1, 2025. Against this backdrop, the MPPUA wrote a letter to the Executive Engineer of the said corporation. The letter says, “You have assured that the present market would be developed parallely. But it has not been made clear about the facilities required by the flower sellers at the place where it is being shifted temporarily. The department officials have not reviewed the area where the market is being shifted.

 

It has not discussed about the facilities like cold storage, packing house, office of the association for handling independent security system.” Rannavare told ‘The Hitavada’, “We have sent the letter to the Corporation on November 4, 2025 but we haven’t received any response.” The State Government in 2016 had planned the flower market at Ganeshpeth. APMC failed to develop flower market on its own land due to encroachments. The land is under NIT and was allotted on lease to NMC for developing a flower market. NMC leased out the land to APMC to develop the market. NIT asked APMC to deposit money as per ready reckoner value, but APMC wanted the land for free. NIT sought consent from the Government. Meanwhile, the then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari asked NIT to give land for free to APMC.

 

Accordingly, NIT submitted the proposal and it was approved. The only issue of user change has not been resolved. Rannavare expressed regret over the development. He said, “It is very difficult to run our business at Ganeshpeth. We are well-settled in this centrally located place. Over a period of years, we have developed rapport with our customers. Everything will come to a standstill. They should provide some area to flower sellers here only.” Amidst all these issues, the flower sellers are not happy with the development as they feel their business would not do well at Ganeshpeth as they are being shifted to Ganeshpeth without proper facilities. It remains to be seen how Government would resolve the issue.