As Bhubaneswar Unit II Market Row Enters 8th Day, Street Vendors Threaten To Gherao BMC, CP Offices On July 28

Bhubaneswar: The Unit II market building complex in Bhubaneswar continued to remain shut for the eighth day in a row on Monday due to the stand-off between shop owners and street vendors.

As the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) was still unable to resolve the deadlock, the traders as well as the temporary vendors toughened their stand over the issue. Shop owners’ demand for ouster of all temporary vendors from the market complex has triggered a row between the two groups.

While the agitating shop owners threatened to shut all the market places in Odisha capital if the authorities fail to end the row immediately, the street vendors warned that they would gherao the offices of BMC and Commissioner of Police on July 28.

The street vendors staged a demonstration in Bhubaneswar on Monday under the banner of AITUC to protest any move to evict them without making proper arrangements for their rehabilitation. Accusing the BMC of adopting a step-motherly approach towards them, the vendors claimed that the government has all along been neglecting them and favouring established businessmen.

Meanwhile, the BMC is reported to be looking for alternate space for temporary vendors of Unit-II market to end the deadlock. The market has been closed for the past over one week leading to a loss of Rs 1.3 crore every day.

The permanent shop owners do not want the vendors to occupy market space. Traders with authorised space in the market claim   that they face disturbance from unauthorised vendors.

Heated exchange reportedly cropped up when members of Unit II Central Market Traders’ Association (CMTA) and the makeshift vendors under the banner of ‘Balunkeswar Khyudra Byabasayi Sangh’ staged protest at two different gates of the complex on Sunday.

Members of the city vending zone association which extended support to the makeshift vendors said if the latter are not allowed to do business in the complex without rehabilitation, they will intensify the protest.

Members of CMTA said a meeting of representatives of 65 traders and market associations was held on Sunday and a core committee was formed to decide on the action to be taken.

It was decided that the core committee will wait till Monday to hold talks with BMC and if the civic body meets the demand for evicting makeshift vendors from the no-vending zone, they will reopen the shops. If the BMC fails to fulfill their demand, the traders will launch protest across the state capital.