Bhubaneswar: Malgodown, the biggest wholesale market in Odisha, is likely to be shifted from Cuttack city.

The Malgodown Traders’ Association has planned to relocate the wholesale market to a suitable place alongside the National Highway (NH) 16 in between Phulnakhara and Manguli in Cuttack district.

The association will soon move a proposal in this regard before the state government, sources said.

The wholesale market was established in Cuttack city soon after the 1866 famine in Odisha. Initially, market had five godowns and 15 shops. Over the years, as many as 780 wholesale and retail shops have come up at Malgodown, spread on 60 acres of land near Taladanda canal. The market usually transacts business worth around Rs 20 crore on daily basis, sources added.

At least 200 trucks from several places across Odisha and other states like Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh reach Malgodown to deliver goods to the traders.

“Trucks carrying goods are unable to reach the godowns at the market due space crunch. The traders are bearing additional costs for transporting the commodities to their godowns. Besides, the market lacks proper drainage facility. As a result, rainwater often enters into the godowns and causes huge financial losses for the traders,” said a shopkeeper.

The traders have raised the issue with the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) on several occasions but to no avail.

“Now, the traders have planned to relocate the market to somewhere alongside the NH-16 in between Phulnakhara and Manguli. They will soon approach the state government for a piece of land and other infrastructure facilities to shift the market,” he added.

The traders require around 70 acres of land for setting up of a modern wholesale market alongside the NH. The new market will have adequate space for movement of trucks and other vehicles, sources said.

“The new market will have hotel, banking, police outpost, drainage, toilet, proper lighting, parking, rest room and other facilities,” said the shopkeeper.