NOT IMPRESSED: Traders of College Street market inspect their relocation site on Marcus Square in mid-December. A Telegraph picture

The future of the nine-storeyed commercial complex planned at the site of College Street market hangs in balance, with the high court on Wednesday restraining the civic body from asking the shop-owners to move to Marcus Square till further notice.

The Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC) has made arrangements for temporary rehabilitation of the traders on Marcus Square.

A division bench, comprising Justice K.J. Sengupta and Justice A.K. Bhattacharya, passed the order after going through a report submitted by the court-appointed special officer, Ramesh Chowdhury. He stated that basic amenities had not been provided for the traders on Marcus Square.

Power arrangements and fire-fighting measures were not in place at the park, Chowdhury had observed. The bench asked the CMC to put in place the infrastructure by Thursday.

“On Friday, the special officer will again visit Marcus Square and file a report before the court on February 20. Till then, the CMC will not ask the traders to vacate the College Street market,” said the judges.

Members of College Street Market Dealers’ Association had moved the high court, stating that the CMC had issued a notice to Bengal Shelter, the company with which the civic body is constructing the new complex, to start demolishing the market.

Petitioners’ counsel Siraj Gooptu argued: “The CMC has no authority to demolish the building until it provides basic amenities for my clients on Marcus Square.”