Cuttack: A market complex, set up and managed by the Cuttack Development Authority (CDA), at Bajrakabati Road in the Silver City here has been facing a myriad of problems for several years.
Poor maintenance, unhygienic atmosphere and vacant rooms have become hallmarks of the market complex set up in 1979.
The two-storey market complex has 55 rooms for commercial use. At present, only 42 rooms have been rented out to shopkeepers while the remaining 13 are lying vacant, sources said.
The CDA is charging a rent of Rs 35 per square foot for underground shops at the market complex while the rent for shops on the ground floor has been fixed at Rs 25 per square foot, sources added.
The ceilings of many shops at the market complex have suffered extensive damage due to poor maintenance. Moreover, toilet and drinking water facilities of the complex have been lying unutlised for several days.
“The market complex is in a state of dilapidation. The authorities concerned have taken no step to repair the shops at the complex. The entire place had been filled with garbage some days ago. We had undertaken a cleanliness drive at the complex recently. In the absence of CCTVs, some antisocial elements are using the place for consumption of liquor,” said locals Sanjay Kumar Pradhan and Dhirendra Kumar Pradhan.
The locals are of the view that the CDA has not taken any measure to upgrade facilities at the market complex that can attract shopkeepers to the vacant rooms.
“There was information that the civic body would demolish the market complex. The structure may collapse at any moment. Some people are running shops at the complex under unsafe condition,” said Laxmidhar Swain, another local.
CDA sources, meanwhile, claimed that traders are not interested to take underground rooms at the complex. Moreover, many occupants are not paying the rent regularly.
“We have huge pending dues on some shopkeepers. We will discuss all these issues and take appropriate steps. The local police would be informed to check the movement of antisocial elements near the market complex,” said Priyanka Mallick, an official of CDA.
