Khurda : The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) is yet to begin construction of a three-storey market complex at Haveli ground here to rehabilitate 624 street vendors.
The BDA, in a meeting April 4, 2018 in Bhubaneswar, had decided to spend Rs 30.88 crore on the project. It had sanctioned Rs 3 crore for the project in the first phase.
Hundreds of vendors have been doing business in Khurda town here by putting up small stalls and cabins on various roads and streets for last several years.
According to sources, more than 1,200 vendors usually do their business on roads and streets in Khurda. Besides, more than 5,000 families depend upon the street vendors to purchase various goods and services.
The encroachment by vendors has been causing severe traffic congestion on several roads in the town. Apart from that, the civic authorities have been facing problems to develop roads and sewerage system in the locality, sources said.
Then collector, Madhusudan Padhee, had planned to rehabilitate at least 540 street vendors by constructing a market complex at Haveli ground in 2003.
The district administration had identified 2,730 acres for the market complex. It was then decided that the administration would evict vendors from Old Bus Stand Road, Old Hospital Road and Nayagarh Road in the initial phase.
The administration had planned to collect Rs 3,000 security money and monthly license fee of Rs 200 from each vendor to provide shops at the market complex. It had proposed to set up drinking water project, drainage system, toilets and other facilities for the vendors at Haveli ground. However, the project could not be taken up as the administration failed to mobilise resources for the purpose, sources said.
The market complex project was handed over to the BDA in 2015. “The BDA has so far constructed boundary walls around the ground. But, it has failed to initiate construction work for the project. The BDA and the state government have no interest in a permanent solution to the street vending issue in Khurda,” rued a local.