Cooling Relief on the Way for Manama’s Central Market

Shoppers and stall-holders at Manama’s busy Central Wholesale Market can finally look forward to cooler days. The Capital Municipal Council has begun its annual maintenance of the fruit-and-vegetable hall’s ageing air-conditioning units, aiming to finish repairs before the worst of the summer heat sets in.

Maintenance crews started this week, replacing faulty parts and restarting individual chillers as quickly as possible. The council acknowledged that the work may cause short-lived discomfort, but promised to keep trading uninterrupted.

For vendors, the upgrade can’t come soon enough. “Last summer was brutal,” said Ali Abdulrahman, who has sold tomatoes at the market for more than a decade. “When the coolers broke down, temperatures soared and our produce wilted before the afternoon rush.”

Long-time shopper Hassan Ahmed shared the frustration. “We were sweating inside an enclosed building while trying to pick fresh greens,” he recalled. “I hope these fixes give us a permanent solution.”

Some stall-holders, many from South and Southeast Asia, admitted they resorted to makeshift tricks—standing floor fans among crates or stacking blocks of ice near delicate herbs. “It helped for an hour or two, but it was no match for July heat,” said Rajesh Kumar, who runs a small spice booth.

Market workers are optimistic that this round of maintenance signals a broader refurbishment plan, including modern cooling systems that protect produce quality and make shopping more pleasant. For now, the council says the repairs are on track and urges visitors to bear with the temporary noise and occasional warm spots.

If all goes well, vendors expect to welcome customers back into a refreshingly cool hall well before mid-summer peaks.