Market Building shut since July 17; traders now threaten to paralyse Odisha capital

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Traders’ Association has threatened to paralyse the capital city if the authorities of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) fail to solve issues related to Unit-2 Market Building within two days.

The Central Market Association of Market Building has closed the shopping complex for indefinite period since July 17 seeking immediate eviction of makeshift vending stalls from the locality.

“The Market Building has been shut for the last five days. The BMC is yet to take any step to solve the issue of makeshift vending stalls at the shopping complex. We have decided to paralyse Bhubaneswar if the authorities fail to take appropriate steps within two days,” said Odisha Traders’ Association general secretary Sudhakar Panda.

The association may decide to call for a statewide bandh over the issue in near future, added Panda.

The Central Market Association has alleged that some people have virtually encroached upon the Market Building by opening makeshift vending stalls at the shopping complex.

The owners of permanent shops at Market Building are facing a lot of problems due to the presence of hundreds of makeshift stalls at the shopping complex. This apart, the makeshift stalls are causing unnecessary congestions at Market Building, they alleged.

The shopkeepers further alleged that a few officials of the BMC are shielding the owners of the makeshift stalls at Market Building by collecting money from them.

They have claimed that the civic authorities were supposed to evict the makeshift stalls from Market Building in 2020. However, the authorities are yet to do so despite repeated appeals in this regard.