BHUBANESWAR: About four and half years after the popular Ganesh Bazaar in Jharpada was demolished, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has initiated process to come up with a fully-air conditioned community complex at the site.
The proposed new market complex, sources said, is likely to be developed in line with the integrated market of Gajwel in Telangana and similar community markets in other parts of the country.
The composite project here will have a ‘Community Market’ with G+2 structure as well as a residential-cum-commercial facilities to utilise the maximum FAR available for the site.
As per the plan, the proposed community market will be air-conditioned. It will have separate space for vegetarian and non-vegetarian products and be under CCTV surveillance and a control room for monitoring. Ramp structure for the differently-abled as well as toilets for all, including transgenders and persons with special needs, will be in place.
The BDA has also proposed two-levels of envelope parking in the basement and asked interested parties to submit a ‘conceptual design’ of the community market along with their technical bid.
An official of the agency said as part of its endeavour to introduce innovative initiatives in city infrastructure, the BDA is working towards developing community markets in multiple areas across the city. Accordingly, it has decided to come up with a community market at Jharpada over a prime unencumbered land patch of 1.932 acre.
Development of the community market at the prime land will help the government tap its potential as the site right near Ganesh Mandap chowk in Jharpada enjoys a frontage on both the 24 metre-wide Jail Road and 9 metre-wide Jharpada road. The site is also located just 1.5 km from NH-316, and 2 km away from Bhubaneswar railway station.
A joint enforcement team of BDA and BMC had demolished Ganesh Bazar haat, located at the site, evicting nearly 300 temporary shops and kiosks in 2022. The demolition drive had faced stiff protest from the local vendors.
BDA sources said the land belonging to the General Administration department had been transferred to the agency for construction of a market complex.