Gorabazar: Traders of the century-old Gorabazar market in Dum Dum, which was gutted in a fire on January 21, submitted on Monday a charter of demands to Dum Dum Municipality alleging that no help had been provided to them despite promises.

The traders said one of the promises of the civic body was that they would be relocated to facilitate reconstruction of the market.

The traders have resumed their business at the same site. Most of them are using a polythene sheet as shed.

"We are not getting any response from the municipality about rehabilitation and reconstruction. What led to the fire is not known to us till date," said Biswajit Das, secretary of Dum Dum Cantonment Businessmen and Traders' Association.

An official of Dum Dum Municipality said the forensic report identifying the cause of the fire was yet to reach the authorities.

The January 21 fire had left around 320 business outlets gutted and two persons dead. Fire services minister Sovan Chatterjee and urban development minister Firhad Hakim visited the site the next day and offered all help to the traders.

After the ministers' visit, senior officials of Dum Dum Municipality held several meetings with the traders.

"We were told that the civic body would help us so that we could resume our business in the market. We were also told that a multi-storeyed building with all fire-safety measures would come up at the market site and we will be given stalls in it. The only help each of us has received from the civic body is a black polythene sheet," said Das.

The traders in the market have rebuilt their shops on their own and returned to business. Some said they had managed to erect a tin-shed but lacked the money to buy the items they would sell.

"We don't know when the rehabilitation process will start," Das said.

Harinder Singh, chairman of Dum Dum Municipality, said the Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority was preparing a detailed project report for the reconstruction of the market.

"The agency has measured the site. Once they prepare a report, work on constructing the building will start," Singh said. "The market is not being renovated because CMDA will soon start constructing the building where the traders will be rehabilitated."

The list of demands the traders handed over to the civic authorities includes setting up of a tin shed on iron -beams, installation of fire-fighting gadgets, construction of a water reservoir and deployment of night guards.