Bhubaneswar Unit-1 market fire an ‘act of revenge’; BMC plans new SOP for city markets

Fresh details have emerged following the recent fire incident at Unit-1 Market in Odisha's Bhubaneswar, with traders alleging that the blaze was not an accident. Some traders have claimed that the fire was deliberately set due to rivalry and extortion issues among market groups. 

Allegations have also surfaced regarding intimidation and forced collection of money from traders operating within the market. Meanwhile, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Mayor Sulochana Das has announced that a separate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will soon be introduced for all markets in the city.

Traders Link Fire to Internal Disputes

According to reports, a dispute among wholesale traders at Unit-1 Market may be behind the fire incident. A few days before the fire, disagreements had reportedly arisen over association positions. Some traders have alleged that the fire was a result of anger and internal conflict. 

Other traders also accused Kabiraj Swain, the self-proclaimed president of the Unit-1 Kancha Pariba Mahasangha, and his associates of running a reign of intimidation and extortion. Kabiraj has denied the allegations, countering that certain traders are attempting to create disorder within the association and had previously raised issues of theft during the Lakshmi Puja celebrations.

Brahmeswar Pradhan, one of the vendors, said, “It was clearly an act of arson. Our secretary was supposed to resign, but refused. We had suggested that he continue unofficially, but someone new should be elected. This issue has created tension among traders.”

BMC Faces Scrutiny 

The BMC has once again come under scrutiny for delays in the redevelopment of the Unit-1 Market. The civic body had earlier proposed constructing a modern complex over three acres of land to accommodate around 2,000 traders. For this project, 42 government quarters and two slum areas were demolished. However, even after 11 years, the project remains on paper. 

Questions have now been raised regarding the pending relocation of the wholesale section to Bhagabanpur, for which the General Administration (GA) Department had already provided 10 acres of land.

Mayor Cites Funding Constraints

BMC Mayor Sulochana Das said, “The Odisha government had allotted land in Bhagabanpur near Patrapada for shifting the wholesale market. We even constructed boundary walls around the site and spent nearly Rs 2.5 crore.” 

She further added, “However, no additional funds or budget allocations have been received from the government, making it difficult to proceed with the relocation.”

The Mayor informed that new regulations will soon be implemented across 20 major markets in Bhubaneswar. These will include formal elections for market committees in the presence of BMC officials, group insurance coverage for all shopkeepers, and strict enforcement measures. Traders will also be prohibited from extending their shops or encroaching upon internal roads within market premises.