Salkia's Hargunge Bazaar is going the Lake Market way. The old market on Sri Aurobindo Road is soon going to be Aurobindo Mall just as Lake Market is now Lake Mall. Like the latter, Aurobindo Mall will have the old bazaar on the ground floor while the first to fourth floors will house the mall, covering one lakh square feet, with a separate entrance.

One of the oldest markets of Howrah town will now house anchor stores of Pantaloons and Reliance Trends, each taking 16,000sq ft shop space. "There will be many popular brands at the mall. Some local traders, who have shops on Sri Aurobindo Road, have also bought space. We are planning to start operations from August," said Ram Ratan Chowdhury, the chief managing director of Panchdeep Constructions, the developer.

Blocks A and B of Hargunge Bazaar will be turned into a mall. "Block A will house the stores and Block B will have the multiplex and food court. Both blocks will be linked with a covered gangway from the third floor. It will be made in a way that visitors will not realise that they are moving from one block to another," said Chowdhury.

Mumbai-based Miraj Cinemas is foraying into Bengal with its first multiplex at Aurobindo Mall. The multiplex will have two auditoriums, each with 260 seats. The food court will have a fine dining restaurant by ITC's Fortune Group and several food counters. "Once the mall starts operating, we will introduce popular chains in the food court," said Chowdhury.

The terrace on the fifth floor is also being put to use. Since parking is a woe on the congested Sri Aurobindo Road, space for parking 80 cars will be available on the terrace.

"Two car lifts at the back will carry the cars to the terrace. Visitors can take the lifts from the terrace to enter the mall," said Chowdhury. A banquet hall for 300 guests is also being made.

There are plans to modernise the bazaar on the ground floor. Over 250 shopkeepers run their business from shops on both sides of narrow corridors with loose wires hanging low from the ceiling.

"There is no space to move around and one feels claustrophobic because there is no ventilation inside," said Ranjit Dey, a grocer. "We plan to introduce a ventilation system inside the market. Strong air blasts will be passed through air ducts installed on the ceiling," said Chowdhury.

There are also plans of another construction on a plot right behind the mall. This new building will rehabilitate the vendors selling rice and earthenware from makeshift shelters in Hargunge Bazaar.

"They have been doing business for several generations in the market. They will have to be rehabilitated to another building to clear the space around the mall. We need the roads around the Hargunge Bazaar free of any encroachment for cars to move smoothly around the mall complex. So we will build another place where these vendors can shift," said Chowdhury.