Sulaymaniyah faces setbacks on repair of bazaar’s famed ‘under the bridge’ animal market

SULAYMANIYAH, December 11 — Officials in Sulaymaniyah say repair work on an underpass of Mawlawi Street in the central market has faced a number of challenges, hindering the project’s progress.

The city’s municipality and company contracted to complete the underpass’ redevelopment say the setbacks are due to disputes with traders who have traditionally used the underpass, known as “zher pirdaka” to sell a range of different animals, from rabbits and domesticated pets, to rare and exotic creatures.

Sellers say they are unhappy about the repairs and do not want to vacate the area as it will likely have negative effects on their business.

Authorities however are urging the traders to cooperate by removing any obstacles or problems hindering the renovation process.