2 high-rises to lift capital’s skyline

BHUBANESWAR: The city’s skyline will soon see a vertical shift with two upcoming projects — MLA colony and the Unit-I market — set to become high-rises replacing the earlier horizontal structures.
More than 100 quarters have been demolished to construct 11-storey apartments for the legislators while the Unit-I sprawling market will have a building with ground plus seven floors which will be able to accommodate 1,400 shopkeepers, including retailers and wholesalers.

Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials said the front of the existing market that has rows of vegetable shops will be removed with some vendors only allowed to do their business there. As most of them will be shifted to the new building, the remaining shops will be remodelled in a phased manner so as to reduce congestion and change the cluttered look. Retaining the earlier identity will help retain the heritage of the Unit-I market, they said.
BMC city engineer Arun Nayak said there will be four to five loading and unloading points for goods at the new market to ensure their smooth passage to the respective floors through lifts. “Multiple big lifts will be installed. The goods will be unloaded in such a way as that it doesn’t become cumbersome. There will be ramps at the unloading points where trucks can be parked. All the vendors will be given identity cards so that the registered ones are segregated and identified easily,” he said.
On the benefits of the vertical structure, the BMC said the huge basement parking will help to reduce the pressure of parked vehicles along AG Square-Rajmahal Square road. “It will also help shoppers to get enough room (circulation space) for shopping which is not possible now,” Nayak added.
Senior architect Sanjib Guru said construction of high-rises is being given emphasised for rational use of ground space as population is rising. “Under one roof, varieties of goods will be available and people wont have to rush from one place to another. The ground coverage will reduce. There will be more ventilation, more construction area, more greenery and circulation space,” Guru said.
Gayadhar Swain, general secretary of Rajdhani Haata Byabsayi Sangha, said they have seen the layout and design of the new building and they are happy that shopkeepers will get better place to do their business. The most important feature of the high-rise will be safety of the goods. The shopkeepers can lock their shops. This is not possible now because goods are kept by just wrapping them with a polythene sheet,” Swain added.
Once the complex is built for MLAs, the stretch from Rabindra Mandap Square to 120 Battalion Square will sport a changed look. “The structure which will come up opposite the assembly, Odisha Mining Corporation and state guest house will lend a modern look to the city. A lot of area will be available for breathing clean air,” said urban planner Piyush Rout.