The Puducherry Municipality has begun the demolition of the decades-old Goubert Market, popularly known as ‘Periya Kadai’, to facilitate its reconstruction under a comprehensive plan.
On Tuesday (October 14, 2025), workers began demolishing a portion of the market housing meat stalls on Rangapillai Street. Acting on a Madras High Court order, which permitted the demolition of shops that were in poor condition, the civic body began pulling down around 51 shops to pave the way for their reconstruction.
Poor maintenance
Established by the French, the market, spread over 2.9 acres, houses 572 permanent shops and 400 temporary outlets. It had stood the test of time through several decades and remained the most-preferred location for meat, fish, and fresh vegetables. However, the market had become unsafe and unhygienic due to its crumbling infrastructure and poor amenities, such as lack of water supply and sanitation.
The market has been devoid of maintenance and improvement measures for a long time. While the main thoroughfares around the market underwent changes, the traders continued to function more or less out of the age-old complex.
