Bhubaneswar Unit-2 Market Building Reopens After 17-Day Closure Over Stall Eviction Dispute

Bhubaneswar: The Unit-2 Market Building in Bhubaneswar has reopened after being closed for 18 days due to a dispute over the eviction of unauthorized vending stalls. The closure resulted in losses of approximately Rs 100 crore for the owners of permanent shops in the complex.

The Central Market Association of Market Building announced the reopening at a press conference. They expressed their concerns about the presence of unauthorized vending stalls near the market’s gates, leading to congestion and inconvenience for the permanent shop owners.

The association accused the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) of not taking sufficient action to remove these makeshift stalls despite repeated appeals. They emphasized that they would not tolerate any further encroachment on the open spaces around the market building.

The shopkeepers have alleged that some BMC officials are accepting bribes from the owners of the makeshift stalls, enabling them to continue operating illegally. The association stated that the BMC was supposed to remove these stalls in 2020 but failed to do so.

The hope is that the issue will be resolved now that the Unit-2 Market Building has reopened. Both the permanent shop owners and the visitors can conduct their businesses smoothly without any hindrance from unauthorized stalls.