SINGAPORE - The often bustling Tekka Market and Food Centre has been quiet for over a week now, since it closed for repairs and redecoration (R&R) work.

Stallholders and regulars alike said they are keenly awaiting the food centre’s reopening. In the meantime, all but six stallholders are taking a break. The National Environment Agency (NEA) told The Straits Times that the six are operating at temporary stalls at hawker centres and markets in places like Cambridge Road, Geylang Bahru and Smith Street.

Tanjong Pagar Town Council, which is overseeing Tekka’s facelift, said works will include installing new flooring, fresh paint, new tables, chairs and fans, as well as upgraded toilets.

Bird spikes on the ceiling will be repaired and bird nettings near the cooked food section will be added. The spalling concrete above the wet market beam will be repaired, to ensure structural integrity.

All basement sewer pipes will also be replaced.

Upgrading works, which began on July 3, will continue till Aug 31 for retail stores on the second floor, and Sept 30 for the cooked food and wet market stalls on the first floor.

The last upgrade for the 284 market stalls, 119 hawkers and 55 commercial shops was in 2017 when the building facade was repainted and an exhaust system was installed at cooked food stalls.

In 2008, Tekka underwent the Hawker Centres Upgrading Programme by NEA. The market was closed for about 18 months, and a temporary market was sited at the open field near Race Course Road. 

No temporary market was set up for the 2017 upgrade, nor was there one for the current upgrade.

A town council spokesman said: “As the current project is only expected to last three to six months, it is not cost-effective to set up a temporary market. The town council has worked closely with NEA to assist stallholders who are interested, to apply for vacant stalls in other hawker centres.”

The interval between R&R works is usually between six and eight years, and the project start date is typically determined in consultation with stallholders and the Hawkers’ Association, said the town council.

NEA said R&R usually lasts between two and three months. It will grant rental remission for the duration of the work, and there will be no increase in stall rentals due to R&R.

Most stallholders prefer to take a break during this period.

Mr Mujibur Rahman, who owns AR Rahman Cafe and AR Rahman Royal Prata, said he is not taking up a temporary stall because “it’s difficult to get the same crowd, and you give yourself stress”.

Mr Zender Wong, managing director of Generation Coffee, a home-grown coffee roaster, said his business relies a lot on machines and equipment.

“If we were to be given a temporary business location, we have to spend quite a sum to configure the electrical and water piping to suit our operational needs,” said the 33-year-old, who started the business in 2020.

However, he planned for a new outlet in Hong Lim Food Centre when he found out about Tekka’s renovations. His five full-time staff and seven part-timers are working at the new outlet, which just opened this month. Generation Coffee has another outlet at 216 Bedok Food Centre. It also has an online store.

“The Tekka outlet accounts for at least 50 per cent of our revenue, so with it closing, we definitely will see a dip,” he said.

Ms Lim Hong Eng, who has been running Grandma Mee Siam for 43 years, is attending courses to keep herself occupied. The 68-year-old signed up for a basic food hygiene course and a digital literacy course, and is expected to complete both this month.

She then hopes to travel to China for a short break.

“We have just recovered from Covid-19, so I do not have that much savings to go on a holiday for three months,” she said.

Like most stallholders and customers ST spoke to, she believes the R&R is timely.

“It’s long overdue,” said Ms Lim. “The roofs, tables and chairs are all stained and dirty. The drains are choked and some of the cooker hoods are not functioning well.”

Mr Wong wants a brighter and airier hawker centre with a cleaner dining area and toilets.

Mr Rahman, who has been operating his stalls for over 20 years at Tekka, hopes to see better ventilation and lighting.

He felt the timing was ideal since it would not include any major festivals like Deepavali, when business is brisk.

But the wait will be a long one for many.

“I can rest for one month, but then for the next two months, I feel like I am jobless,” said Mr Rahman, who just returned from a Bali getaway and will be visiting relatives in India for two weeks.

The 51-year-old has five workers, some of whom are also travelling to India or finding other jobs.

“My main worry is finding workers when I reopen on Oct 1,” he said.

Mr Odi, the 53-year-old owner of Raja Bojun Sri Lankan Food, is also worried that his three staff will look for other jobs during the break. He will be visiting relatives in Sri Lanka for three weeks.

Regular customers, such as retired security guard Chin Kong Foo, said their usual routines are disrupted by the temporary closure.

“I’ve been coming ever since I moved to the area. At the minimum, I come down three times a week,” he said.

The 82-year-old moved to Owen Road in 1980 and relies on the market for hawker food and fresh groceries. Since he retired, he has made it a habit to walk from his home to the market, which is less than a kilometre away.

He will patronise Pek Kio Market and Food Centre while Tekka Centre is closed.

Mr Sam Samy, 71, lives three bus stops away from Tekka Centre and has been a regular patron for the last 30 years.

“Tekka Centre is the regular meeting spot for me and my friends. I’m a big fan of the nasi briyani here,” he said.

“In the coming weeks, I think I will be conditioned to go to other places. There’s a lot of good food in the area in places like Pek Kio and Berseh Food Centre.”

Businesses in the vicinity, and their staff, are affected too.

Mr Gaudaman, manager with AAB Sweets & Snacks at Block 664 Buffalo Road, said his business has dropped by about 20 per cent.

The 55-year-old said: “Many customers are not visiting this area as they cannot eat or buy their groceries at Tekka Centre.”

Mr Manpreet Singh, 35, who has been operating Nanak Electronics & Computers Enterprise at Block 662 Buffalo Road for the last 10 years, said business has been affected by reduced foot traffic.

“Every day, we get tourists asking us why it’s (Tekka Centre) closed. I hope it reopens soon,” he said.

Ms Kelly Mak, 57, a sales and administration staff at a nearby retail store, said: “Some stores in the market operate for 24 hours, so my colleagues and I sometimes buy (groceries) before and after work.

“I’m looking forward to when the renovations are finished.”