The central market for fresh fruits and vegetables is awaiting the approval of the Governor of Beirut for construction to start. The Syndicate of Vegetable and Fruit Retail Traders is heading towards an open-ended strike if they don’t get satisfaction soon.

The project was approved by the Beirut Municipal Council. Studies have been completed. But during the preparation of the terms of reference, political interventions have stopped the process, according to Souhail Al Mehby, chairman of the Syndicate.

“We will visit Prime Minister Tamam Salam on Thursday to discuss the issue and on Saturday the new Governor Ziad Chbib to hand him two memorandums and a deadline. “If we don’t receive a positive answer, we will shut down the wholesale fruits and vegetable market,” said Al Mehby.

The long-awaited central market is funded by the municipality and will be run by the syndicate. It will be established over a 10,000 m2 land plot in the Kaskas area, and will have a total built up area of 40,000 m2. It will have an underground parking lot, cafeterias, children playgrounds, modern labs, refrigerators, offices, and meeting halls.

The market is expected to contain 340 shops and to be completed within 18 months. It will benefit Beirut, as well as surrounding the southern suburbs of Ghobeiry, Chiah, Ain al Remmaneh, and Furn Al Shebbak among other areas. The total cost of the project is $10 million.