Vacate Ashoka Market by January 31: Orissa High Court to shop owners

BHUBANESWAR:The Orissa High Court on Wednesday directed shop owners of Ashoka Market here to vacate the premises and hand over the keys of their establishments to Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) by January 31, paving the way for development of the most ambitious Bhubaneswar Town Centre (BTC).

The BTC project, which is coming up in around 12 acres of land adjoining the railway station, was delayed as a group of shop owners had moved the High Court challenging their reallocation.The town centre would be developed as a world-class infrastructure with various facilities including a multi-modal transport hub. Renowned Singapore-based design consultant Jurong will design the hub, which would be an iconic destination in the Capital.

The direction came after BDA presented an action taken report before the court on the grievances of the shop owners as per a previous order passed on December 8, last year.BDA Additional Commissioner Bhabani Shankar Chayani said though 102 shop owners had filed the case, only 19 grievances were received from them. “The grievances were heard by BDA vice-chairman on four different dates last month. Basing on the hearing, it was decided to quickly resolve specific grievances submitted by five shop owners for shifting of allotted shops to alternate locations,” he said.

Similarly, decision was taken to give permission for change of allotment for two shop owners, who wanted to take a particular shop other than the one allotted to them. It was also decided to consider change of allotment through a process of lottery, subject to availability, for 11 shop owners, who wished to change their allotted shops and had given their preference for BDA shops in other areas.

The aggrieved shop owners had filed the case in 2014, disposing which the HC had directed them to vacate the shops in one month and asked the BDA to provide them alternative allocations.Accordingly, the BDA had provided them allocations in the market complexes in Samanta Vihar, Niladri Vihar, Pokhariput, Kalinga Nagar, Nayapalli and Saheed Nagar. But they had challenged the allocations and filed another petition last year.

“Since the HC has directed them to vacate the shops by end of this month, we hope the work for the town centre would begin after demolition of the structures in February,” Chayani added.