Encroachment Issue: Shops At Bhubaneswar’s Market Building To Reopen Today

After shutting their shops down for three days, the shop owners’ association at Market Building in Bhubaneswar has decided to reopen their stores today (Friday).

The decision to reopen the business district was taken by the shopkeepers after the additional commissioner of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) assured the association of evicting all makeshift shops and hawkers from the area. 

Notably, the shop owners’ association at Market Building had resorted to bandh on January 4 alleging non-fulfilment of their demands to evict street vendors. 

The association has been demanding the eviction of the street vendors from the marker complex as the illegal encroachers are causing problems in running usual business.

Besides, the traders’ body had also alleged that antisocial activities are on the rise with an increase in the number of vendors. Recently, two major cases of squabble were reported from the area.

Pradumnya, the president of the association said following incidents of extortion and violent brawls in 2014, the then BMC Mayor had initiated a process to evict the vendors from the market space and had rehabilitated around 242 vendors in the vicinity.

"However, in the last one year, the number of street vendors has increased and the people who earlier used to illegally rent out spaces in the market to the vendors have become active. They are collecting Rs 500- 1000 per day from vendors by such allotment. With that, illegal activities witnessed a rise," Pradyumna had alleged.

It is pertinent to mention here that beautification of the Market Building area was carried out in 2010 by the BMC and street vendors were restricted entry inside the complex. However, several vendors have occupied the areas meant for the movement of pedestrians. The number of such vendors is increasing day by day.