Plans Afoot To Shift 150-Year-Old Malgodown From Odisha’s Cuttack!

Cuttack: Odisha’s largest wholesale market at Malgodown in Cuttack city is likely to be relocated. Plans are reportedly afoot to shift the business establishments that have come up at Malgodown, which was set up around 150 years ago.

Over the years, the number of vehicles as well as traders operating in the area had grown substantially and the infrastructure in the market is unable to handle the situation. Therefore, the traders’ association has decided to shift the wholesale market to somewhere between Cuttack and Phulanakhara or Manguli along the National Highway, according to a report in a vernacular daily. A plan to establish a modern wholesale market at a new place has been prepared and a formal proposal in this regard is likely to be submitted to the state government soon, it said.

After the Great Famine of 1866, Malgodown was set up in Cuttack as a precautionary measure to stock foodgrains with an inland dock facility at the Taladanda canal connecting it with the Bay of Bengal in Paradip. Initially, there were 5 warehouses and 15 shops in wholesale market. Now the number of whole-sellers and sub-wholesellers has increased to over 780. Business to the tule of Rs 20 crore takes place daily at Malgodown where more than 4,000 people, including traders and common individuals, visit every day. Around 60 trucks bring goods to Malgodown daily from states like Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh.

Similarly, around 150 other vehicles enter Malgodown every day. While the infrastructure remains limited, the number of people and vehicles moving in the area has increased rapidly. There is only one counter, while warehouses are located in different places. Vehicles bringing goods from different places are unable to move directly to the godowns. It is also becoming difficult trolleys to move on the winding roads.

Under the circumstances, the goods have to be shifted from the parking lot to different warehouses in trolleys. It takes two to three days to unload goods from one vehicle. Over five quintals of goods can be carried in one trolley, while a single vehicle beings 30 to 40 tons of goods. Therefore, it takes time for goods to reach the warehouse from the parking lot and the traders have to incur huge expenses. They also face a scarcity of trolley.

This apart, drainage rainwater becomes a major problem during downpour. Essential food items worth around Rs ten lakh are lost due to inundation of the area by rainwater. Though the merchants’ association has drawn the attention of the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) to the problem, no permanent solution could be found. In view of all these problems, it is not possible to do business in Malgodown and the merchants’ association has decided to shift to a new place.

A draft has been prepared to propose to the state government to provide land for warehouses along the National Highway somewhere between Cuttack and Manguli or Phulanakhara. Around 70 acres of land is required. While retailers will continue to be in Malgodown, only 200 small warehouses and 100 large ones will be shifted. There is adequate land in Barang and Ramdaspur areas.

In states like Chhattisgarh, Bihar, UP, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana etc, business establishments have been designed and set up with modern facilities. A state-of-the-art business centre is proposed to be set up in Cuttack in line with the one built in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The new commercial establishment will have a warehouse, offices with counters at one place, while vehicles bringing goods will get direct approach to the warehouse to save time in loading and unloading. Traders will not be charged with trolley fares. It will have hotels, restaurants, police outpost, banks etc. There will be separate room for workers to rest. There will be toilet facilities. It will be built in a manner to prevent traffic congestion and wastage of time in loading and unloading goods and the traders feel  that business transactions will be smooth and easy.