CUTTACK: After suffering for around one-and-a-half years due to Covid-19 restrictions and the ongoing Taladanda canal road expansion work, the roadside vegetable vendors of Chhatra Bazaar finally have a new address.
Around 600 traders have been allotted two-acre of land at the backside of Urban Cooperation Bank near Malgodown. The spot has been developed by the Cuttack Chamber of Commerce in association with Chhatra Bazaar Vegetable Traders' Association at a cost of `7 lakh. With all necessary arrangements in place, the small makeshift vegetable vendors can start using the spot from Friday, said general secretary of Cuttack Chamber of Commerce Prafulla Kumar Chhatoi.
The vegetable sellers used to carry out their business on the ground at Chhatra Bazaar. However, they were removed from the market by Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) in a bid to ensure social distancing and prevent overcrowding. They were shifted a dozen times during the last one-and-a-half years.
Recently, they were instructed to shift their business from Link Road and the roadside between Dolomundai and Khan Nagar to Andarpur to facilitate the movement of buses from Badambadi. Irked over the frequent change of their business place and loss of their livelihood, traders of Chhatra Bazaar had threatened to stage agitation demanding the creation of permanent vending zones for them.
Considering the plight of the vendors, the Cuttack Chamber of Commerce and Chhatra Bazaar Vegetable Traders’ Association held discussions with CMC authorities for selection of a suitable site for them. “After CMC gave its nod, we developed the place for rehabilitating the vegetable vendors,” said Chhatoi.
Meanwhile, the CMC has planned to set up a modern vegetable market at the spot. “We are planning to come up with a modern vegetable market at the place with facilities like proper entry and exit points, platforms for vendors, organic waste management system, parking place, drinking water and toilets for both vendors and customers,” said CMC commissioner Ananya Das.