Chandra is determined to rebuild SPAR

Chandra and Ramya Kollipara on the site of the SPAR Supermarket where they plan to rebuild this year. PHOTO TWH

The rebuild of the Spar supermarket, destroyed by fire almost two months ago, has been slow going but there is some progress.

Owner Chandra Kollipara said the insurance company had approved the claim allowing the process of rebuilding to begin.

“Time flies and we are getting better day by day,” Chandra said.

“We are not too sure of the timeline, but we are thinking of six months before the rebuild.

“The insurance company has agreed that it was an accident, but there are still many processes to be done.

“We had quality testing of the slab and that has passed as strong enough to proceed and that will be done by a company in Dubbo who are on their way here.

“We will then put a development application into the Bourke Shire Council which will take some time,” he said.

While Spar has been inoperable as a business, Chandra has continued to pay the wages of staff, although some have left Bourke temporarily for Sydney and Melbourne.

“They got bored here because all they know what to do is to work,” he said.