Reliance Retail's plans in Bengal, which is facing a roadblock with Left Front constituents sitting on its Agricultural Produce Market Committee licence, is set to make a start in the state, albeit in a different manner.

A consortium of Reliance companies including Reliance Retail, has emerged as the highest bidder for redevelopment of the Park Circus civic market under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

The Rs 30 crore (Rs 300 million) bid was the highest among the other made by three Kolkata-based shortlisted real estate developers.

The Park Circus market was among the 19 markets that KMC would be redeveloping.

Kalyan Sarangi, Bengal co-ordinator of Reliance Retail, confirmed the development.

According to the conditions laid by KMC, Reliance would have 154,000 square feet of space for use of the total area of approximately 230,000 square feet.

KMC sources said, all stall holders and licence holders would have to be rehabilitated in the interim period and permanently. There are around 400 stall holders in the market.

Around 10-15 per cent would be allocated to the corporation and rest could be used by Reliance to develop a shopping mall, multiplex, market.

The land ownership would remain with KMC while Reliance would have the leasehold rights. KMC could earn from leasing or selling the space allotted at market rate.

Sarangi said, Reliance would be keen on bidding for redevelopment of many of the markets, depending on its location.

Reliance's retail plans in the state had come under cloud since Left Front ally, Forward Bloc, which controlled the state agri-marketing department was sitting on the Agricultural Produce Market Committee licence since last year.

However, Sarangi clarified that it would have no effect on the redevelopment project. The next market that would be taken up by KMC was likely to be Entally. Work on the College Street market was already underway and a temporary market had been set up.