Bhubaneswar, Sept 12: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has launched a major demolition drive at the city’s busy Unit-1 market following repeated fire incidents in the area. Around 54 shops located along the stretch facing the AG Square–Rajmahal road were demolished on Friday, triggering tension and clashes between traders and civic officials.
More than 10 bulldozers were deployed at the market from Friday morning as the civic body began removing shops from the stretch extending from the Capital Police Station side to the market’s main entrance. The demolition was carried out with the assistance of a large police contingent.
The eviction drive led to heated arguments between affected traders and BMC personnel, with the confrontation reportedly escalating into physical scuffles. Police detained and forcibly removed some traders from the spot, after which the situation gradually came under control.
A heavy police presence was maintained at the site to prevent any untoward incident and ensure law and order. Despite strong opposition from traders, the demolition operation was completed by the afternoon.
According to the BMC, alternative shops had already been allotted to the affected traders. They had also been instructed to vacate the Unit-1 market and shift to the newly allotted spaces. However, the traders allegedly continued occupying the roadside portion in front of the market instead of relocating.
The BMC had announced the eviction drive on Thursday evening and urged traders through loudspeakers to remove their belongings before the demolition.
Officials said the drive was undertaken primarily to create wider access roads inside the market and improve fire-safety infrastructure. The civic body is also planning to install large-capacity sprinkler tanks to strengthen firefighting arrangements at the market.
However, the move has drawn criticism from the street vendors’ community. Pratap Sahu, president of the All Odisha Roadside Street Vendors’ Federation, alleged that roadside vendors were being evicted in the name of safety and fire prevention.
The eviction operation was jointly supported by the BMC and Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), along with reserve police personnel from the Commissionerate Police. Special teams from Capital, Kharavela Nagar, Saheed Nagar, Women Police, Laxmisagar and Mancheswar police stations were also deployed during the operation.
