Stalemate between Bhubaneswar Market Building traders & street vendors continues for ninth day

As the Market Building complex at Unit-2 in Bhubaneswar remained shut for the ninth consecutive day on Tuesday, the stalemate between the traders’ association and street vendors does not seem like getting over anytime soon.

Adamant in their respective demands, both the traders’ association and the street vendors have shut their shops creating much inconvenience for the shoppers.

In the latest development, the street vendors, who have been staging protests demanding to stay in the Market Building, got the support of at least a hundred small trader associations.

“There are 217 different street vendor associations registered in Bhubaneswar. Out of that, presidents of 100 associations have joined this protest by the street vendors of the Market Building. If the need arises, all the 217 associations will join this protest to press for their demands,” said one of the street vendor associations' president.

“Our demand is to allow the street vendors registered with the government to do business inside the Market Building premises as per the earlier High Court order,” he said.

On the other hand, the Market Building Traders’ Association has been alleging encroachment by the makeshift vendors and demanding their eviction.

As per their allegation, the street vendors are destroying the beauty of the market area and making it crowded. The association had urged the BMC to take necessary action.

When BMC didn’t take any action, the association decided to shut down the Market Building complex for an indefinite period.