Bhubaneswar: Odia Language, Literature and Culture and Tourism Minister Ashok Chandra Panda visited the new market complex nearing completion, behind Anantavasudev Temple in Old Town here Sunday morning. Panda enquired about the progress of the mega tourism development plan for Ekamra Kshetra.
It may be mentioned here that around 58 persons would be allotted shops in the market complex, which is along the new road, being planned between Devi Padahara and Kotitirtheswar Lane for better circulation of traffic.
After the traders are shifted from the dilapidated market complex near Lingaraj Temple, the old structure would be demolished creating more space for parking as during peak tourism seasons, the Devi Padahara parking lot becomes inadequate to accommodate all vehicles, creating traffic problems in and around Old Town.
Secondly, the Devi Padahara area will be connected to the road connecting Garage Square and Lingaraj Temple, allowing vehicles from Puri to come directly to the parking lot and they need not jam the roads in and around the temple and Samantarapur localities.
Once the road behind the Anantavasudev Temple is completed, there is a proposal to make the road in front of the temple a pedestrian-only one. Devotees, who come to the temple for prasad or abadha would have to go either from the Kotitirtheswar end or Devi Padahara end on the new road to get the abadha. Other ancillary facilities for the devotees would also be developed from the other end of the Lord Vishnu’s shrine in the Ekamra Kshetra, which is predominantly populated with Lord Shiva’s shrines.
While the Tourism department is funding the major infrastructure part, the entire revamp of the area would be done jointly by the Bhubaneswar Development Authority, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Public Works Department, Public Health Engineering Organisation and Central Electricity Supply Utility.
The Tourism minister during his visit also urged all the agencies concerned to expedite the work before the World Cup Hockey and the Bhubaneswar Art Trail-2018 (BAT) as both the events are expected to attract more visitors to the city. BAT will have artists from all over the world to showcase their creations along a 1.3 km long trail from November 18 to December 18.
He also informed that the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation will run a Jatri Nivas on the second floor of the new market complex in future and for the visitors there would be two lifts at the complex. The ground floor and first floor will be used by traders.
Along with the Tourism minister, Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena, BMC Commissioner Krishan Kumar and Tourism director Archana Patnaik among several others were present.
BDA additional commissioner-cum-member enforcement Bhabani Shankar Chayani, who is looking after the heritage initiatives said, “This ambitious project, when completed, will change the shape of the entire core area of the Old Town area.” She added that it would pave a way to make more areas in the heritage core zone pedestrian-only ones. “BAT will definitely create a new branding for the Old Town area of the Capital City,” she said.
