Geylang Market Reopens July 13

Source : The Straits Times, June 27, 2009

AFTER a 40-month makeover, Geylang Serai Market will reopen on July 13.

New hygiene measures have been taken as has lighting and ventilation. Hawkers hope it will be a cultural icon and a new start from the infamous temporary Geylang Serai Market. --PHOTO: ST

Its stallholders, now at a temporary market, have good reason to want to make it 'the best market ever'.

The food hawkers want to put behind them the incident in April when tainted Indian rojak from one stall killed two people and left 152 people ill.

The rojak stallholder is still under suspension.

The original market site, to which the hawkers will be going back to, is at Jalan Turi, some 500m from the temporary one.

Originally just a single storey, the new two-storey building, with about 8,730 sq m of floor space, cost $18.2 million.

Looking forward to the new start is Mr Razak Ismail, 46, whose family owns Hajjah Mona Nasi Padang.

'The downturn and food poisoning case caused business to drop,' he said.

Added Mr Oli Abdul Latiff, 49, who runs a thosai stall and who will be the new chairman of the Market Area Sub-Committee: 'We are all very happy because the new place is very beautiful. We also think business will go up, because we are now nearer the residents.'

Mr Mohd Asaduz Zaman, vice president (architectural) for Surbana International Consultants, designed the new market with its history, lighting, ventilation and hygiene needs in mind.

'The old market was up to the standards for its time, but in the new market we've added things like disabled access, better lighting and ventilation,' he said.

Read the full report in The Sunday Times.